Beyond the Baton

Programming, Interpretation, Performance, Leadership, and Musical Taste for Wind Band/Ensemble Conductors

Frank Battisti

In many ways, this book is an expansion of Guide to Score Study for the Wind Band Conductor, co-authored by Frank Battisti and Robert Garofalo in 1990. In this companion volume, Battisti emphasizes the importance of a conductor’s imagination, personality, and dedication as it relates to programming, interpretation, performance, and musical leadership. The book’s discussions are augmented by comments from the following esteemed conductors:

Thomas Duffy • Richard Floyd • Michael Haithcock • Craig Kirchhoff • Courtney Snyder • Emily Threinen

Chapters include:

1. The Art of Programming
2. The Challenges, Skills, Knowledge, and Experiences of the Recreative Artist/Conductor
3. Composer, Artist, and Conductor: Thoughts and Ideas Concerning Interpretation and Performance
4. Readings of the Score: Developing a “Feelingful” Image of a Work
5. Guide to a Score’s Musical Components
6. Intellectual Study and Analysis of a Score’s Musical Components
7. Formulating an Interpretation: Transforming a Score’s Notation into What a Composer Intended
8. Performance
9. The Conductor as Leader
10. The Quest for Good Music: The Intersection of Personal Taste and Aesthetic Criteria