Hello--
Here is the link to the video you should watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZbJOE9zNjw
*This is clip that should be listened to loud
After watching this four minute clip please spend five or so minutes responding to the clip: you might want to consider the following ideas--
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
I will leave you with one of my favorite Gustavo quotes:
"I have this conception of music that it is a river--that, like life, it is the particular place where the water is going, but the water is the music."
So for now--here is to finding that river and acknowledging the natural power it possesses.
Good luck and I hope you have a good day.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
A class blog for the Berwick Academy English 9F class.
11 comments:
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
I think that Gustavo is a leader. Without him the orchestra would not be able to stay together. They need one common person to keep time with because if they didn’t have him and just all went at their own pace it would not sound very good. I obviously don’t know Gustavo by person, so I don’t know what he’s like, but from the clip and the quote he sounds like he is very passionate about what he does. That excitement probably motivates all of the musicians and makes them want to do the best they possibly can.
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
I don’t think that Gustavo is powerful. If his orchestra left him he would just be some guy waving his hands around like crazy on a stage and no one would listen to him. Because the musicians respect him and trust him he is able to lead them. I think that in the clip when he is conducting and the orchestra is playing that in that moment they are all powerful together.
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
Yes there are rules he must follow. If all of a sudden in the middle of the song he decided to change tempo because he just felt like it, then the orchestra would get confused and fall apart. If he did that constantly they would all probably get really annoyed and leave and he would lose his power. But if he took and risk and broke the rules in a way that was ok with the players then he could possibly become even more successful.
1) All of Gustavo’s leading is done before the orchestra gets to this performance. None of these musicians are looking at him because the already know when there entrances and exits are into the music. So I personally think that Gustavo isn’t leading here. Yet before this orchestra gets to this point they need Gustavo to lead them so when it gets to the performance they can sound great. All of Gustavo’s leading is done behind the scene. I believe he leads by his personal interest in music. As you can tell by the YouTube clip we watched he feels the music, and cares a lot about how the musicians play the music so it sounds good.
2) Gustavo’s power is given to him by the musicians in his orchestra. His power is not necessarily from him being physically fit, but his power is given to him by each correct note that is played. Every time each musician plays the right note it shows the respect they have given to Gustavo for paying attention and learning there music. Gustavo relies on the orchestra as much as the orchestra relies on Gustavo to perform, because without each other there wouldn’t be any music worth listening to.
3) Gustavo must give respect to the musicians that he works with. As soon as they lack respect for him the orchestra’s chemistry and willingness to work to making the music better for Gustavo is gone. If Gustavo were to disrespect the musicians of the orchestra he would lose success not only for himself but the orchestra as well.
I assume that you saw this guy on 60 Minutes last night (if not then this is a ridiculous coincidence). I saw that segment as well. I thought that what he is trying to do for inner city kids is a noble and worthy goal. Anyway:
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
The orchestra could not play without a conductor. He keeps the time and cues people to come in at certain points. All of the musicians are good individually, but they require Gustavo to make them an orchestra. I definitely think that his passion for music inspires them to play better too.
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
Gustavo himself is not powerful. It is the music that gives him power. When he is conducting the orchestra, he jumps around in a wild and crazy way. This is the power of the music flowing through Gustavo. He makes the power more real so the musicians in the orchestra, who are all focused on their own parts, can see the effect of all of their parts coming together.
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
I would say that there are rules that Gustavo must follow, but they are loose rules. Music is flexible, yet the orchestra as a whole is attempting to achieve a sound that is as close as possible to that which the composer intended. Gustave can conduct any way he feels like, but he has to do his job, which is to keep the time and cue certain members of the orchestra etc. If he doesn't do his job then he definitely becomes less powerful as a leader. The orchestra members trust him to do his job, but if he fails, he loses the trust which they have bestowed upon him.
Chase Rosa
5-17-10
Gustavo-Leader?
Gustavo is a leader because he is able to subjugate his orchestra in the manner he wishes to. The method by which he conducts is very passionate and reveals him as a charismatic individual. Resulting from his very enthusiastic conducting, he is able to inspire the musicians to play their very best. Gustavo’s knowledge of music means that he is capable of being trusted by his musicians. He is able to keep order throughout the orchestra.
Gustavo’s power mainly comes from his role as a leader. The magnitude of power you possess as a leader compared to someone who follows is enormous. The amount of will and influence you have over a community is enhanced. When Gustavo conducts his piece, the player’s second main point of focus is on him. He positions himself there to help maintain a steady path by which the music can flow. He becomes omnipotent when he has the people on his side.
There are rules that Gustavo must follow as leader. Since he is already leader, he obtains the ability to those rules in any which way he chooses. He has command over them. The rules can not be broken as leader, but they can be tampered with. He does not lose power. In Gustavo’s case, if he chooses to not be charismatic and decisive he makes the rule nonexistent. He additionally loses the support of the people. Ultimately he remains all powerful, but he loses success as a leader because of the lost support.
1) Gustavo is definitely a leader because he is conducting the entire orchestra. He is a necessary part of the orchestra. Without him, the orchestra may have little direction. Gustavo leads through passion and charisma. He feels the music and then transmits it into the sporadic hand gestures.
2) Gustavo himself is not powerful. By himself, he is nothing more than a man waving his arms around. However, with the orchestra following his lead, Gustavo gains much power. The orchestra, in a way, has more power than Gustavo. Without them, Gustavo is powerless. But, without Gustavo, the orchestra is nothing more than untapped potential.
3) Gustavo must not become too cocky in his position. If he begins to think that he alone is better than the entire orchestra that backs him, he will lose his power as a leader. Also, Gustavo has to keep his passion under control and he has to express it in a form that the orchestra understands. If he made unrecognizable waves and jumps, the song would fall apart. Therefore, he can be passionate, yet he must be in a way that is understandable
1) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
I think that Gustavo has most if not all of the leadership qualities we listed in class today. He is the key to the success of this orchestra because, although these are brilliant musicians on there own, Gustavo brings them together as one unit, and without him timing them they might get lost or make a mistake. He leads by telling people what to do, but he does it in a way that it is demanding but not forceful or threatening, and that is a very important quality that a leader must possess.
2) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
Gustavo is very powerful. The balance between instruments is crucial to the survival of the orchestra, and this balance comes to rest on the shoulders of him and him alone. His leadership doesn't give him this power, it helps further it and make it larger but it doesn't create it. The musicians might make a mistake that is not his fault but what would take away his power is if he lost his enthusiasm and control over this orchestra.
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
There are definitely rules that he has to follow. He has to keep the beat, he has to teach the musicians how to do there parts, and more importantly he has to know what he is doing himself. Without rules there cannot be success, we agreed upon this in class, but a leader is not above the rules and if they are they are unsuccessful also. If Gustavo breaks these rules he will become both less powerful and less successful, because power and success go hand in hand, it is hard to gain one without the other.
Sam Hereford
English 9f
Mr. Kasprzak
5.18.10
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
---- Gustavo is the perfect example of an effective leader. Everybody knows that he is in charge and that they need him for the show to go on, without Gustavo the timing will be all off. Gustavo leads by order. He has had everybody memorize the hand signs and he directs them exactly how to play their part.
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
----It looks like Gustavo is all powerful but it definitely comes from his leadership. Gustavo knows that he needs the rest of the musicians so they can play the musical piece and the musicians know that they need him.
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
----At this time Gustavo makes up all the rules. He has no limitations because he is the one directing everyone else and they have a duty as their job to follow his instructions. The only rule he has is to not fail. He is allowed to do anything to accomplish this task of not failing.
Gustavo Dudamel
Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
G is a leader because he leads a whole band in a very powerful song. He leads with force, and movement, and passion. I believe this because when I watch him conduct his face is strained his arms are waving and his whole body is shaking with every movement. G makes eye contact with every band member it feels he is dedicated to the perfection and feeling of his music and you can tell as you watch and you can tell by just listening.
I would consider him powerful. He looks strong and forceful elevated over all his peers, but without his leadership I believe he would be powerless. G has earned his leadership with learning the skill of music and mastering his conducting style. If he had no idea what he was doing no one would respect him and no one would play for him because it would be a waste of time. You need to have knowledge about a skill to be able to teach it.
G must respect his peers as if he is no higher than them but at the same time show that he is the boss. If he treats his peers poorly they would not dedicate themselves to his music because there would seem to be no reason to do so. People follow people that are powerful and likeable; they follow people that they believe will lead them to success.
Gustavo is not the person that creates such successful music in this orchestra. No matter what Gustavo motions, the true success and talent comes from the practice of the musicians themselves, not the conductor. But to be able to make any progress and achieve success, we need someone with more experience and dedication to lead everyone and make sure everyone is in sync. So yes, Gustavo is a leader when he leads the musicians away from making errors and leads them towards blend and precision. People think of the conductors being the true leaders during the performance, but their leadership mainly shows and is imperative behind the scenes with all of the chaos. He leads so each student can learn their part and create a very nice unified sound.
We have all been told what to do in our life, but we also do have the power to deny their demands. Just tonight was the High School concert, and when I performed there were times when I had the choice to stop signing just like teacher had signaled or I could sing a few beats longer. Even though Ms. LaForce has the power to cut the singers off, we do not have to obey her request. But why my classmates and I did stop a beat or two early was because we knew it would sound more precise, and we trusted and respected the power that Ms. LaForce holds over us. She has been a very inspiring teacher, so I do not mind and I am pleased that she has that power. She gains her power through being such an advocate for learning and teaching us new numbers.
Gustavo has the power over his students to cut them off, tell them what they are doing wrong, or change the tempo. Even though he has that power, he has even more responsibility. He has that power because his students trust him and respect him as a leader. Just today my chorus teacher gave us the wrong note, which completely messed us up, and we got pretty frustrated with her. Of course we have to realize that somebody with a lot of experience will still make mistakes, but we heavily rely on her to direct us towards perfection, so when she messes up, we mess up even more. She regained the trust of her students quickly, but (without really thinking about it) we felt she became less powerful and successful as before because of her mishaps and feeling she might not be perfect for this position. This same idea would surly hold true with one of Gustavo’s students if he gave them the wrong note or gave them the wrong cue.
Up on stage the orchestra is one. You are not likely to know each musician by name, but the one name you do know is Gustavo, the conductor or leader. Why is this? It is obvious that he is the leader of this orchestra. Without him their would be no harmony. Each musician is one brick in a house, but without a foundation there would be no house.Gustavo is this foundation. He directs each person and tells each how to apply their special talent to the group. Without him we would probably just hear a big racket of noise. He is the one who has put this giant puzzle together in a way that fits.
Power. That is an interesting word, because it applies differently to each person. It can mean to have strength, control or potential. It can be looked at in both good and bad ways, and usually creates difficult decisions.So do I think Gustavo is powerful? The answer to that question is yes. He gets to decide what music the orchestra will play, and who will have the solos. He can change his mind or improvise at any point in the piece of music. He also decides the tempo and tone. Many wouldn't think that this demonstrates power, and it doesn't in the conquering the world sense. However Gustavo is admired and looked to for direction, and he can use this do anything he wants with this "ability" he has been given.
Trust comes along with this admiration and direction. Gustavo's orchestra must believe that he is working for the good of them as a whole. He must also understand music and have a good ear, because if you were making a pizza would you listen to a chef who didn't know what a stove was?? So when you take on the role of a leader you must be open minded, caring, have an unbised opinion on certain topics, and be a hard worker. Of course this won't necessarily grant you popularity in everyone's eyes, but no leader ever does. As people we tend to only see the bad things, which makes it impossible to have a perfect successful leader. With the way Gustavo's orchestra was playing I'd say they all have a good understanding with one another.
1.) Is Gustavo a leader? If so why? How does he lead?
Gustavo is a leader. He conducts this entire band. Without him there would be no order and everyone would be off tempo. A leader is someone who needs to keep everything on track. Without anyone leading the band, it would be a complete mess. His passion for music most likely motivates himself and the band.
2.) Is Gustavo powerful? Or does the power come from his leadership?
Gustavo has power in front of his band. So his power definitely comes from his leadership. If he weren’t the conductor no one would listen to him. If Gustavo didn’t have power then he would lose his job because he wouldn’t be able to conduct.
3.) Are there rules that Gustavo must follow as leader--if he breaks them does he become less powerful or less successful as a leader?
I think that every leader has rules. Gustavo must set a good example for his band because if he doesn’t some might take it as a reason to slack off or disobey him. Sometimes, I think, that you need to take risks. If you do this it may cause people to disagree but as a conductor you have the right to do this without question. However, if the risks end up being worse for the band, then Gustavo could lose some of his power and be less successful.
Post a Comment