I was given the opportunity to take part in the senior conducting recital of Tyrone Clinton. The music in which he conducted was very diverse and was truly a treat.
Having the opportunity to work through music with Tyrone was great. He was a great motivator, determined to fix all imbalances and communicated effectively with him ensemble. My favorite pieces of the recital were “Bogoroditse Devo” by Rachmaninoff, and “O Praise the Lord” by Dr. Uzee Brown. During the learning process Mr. Clinton made sure to inform his recital of what we were singing about and other information that would be of importance for delivery.
“Bogoroditse Devo” by Rachmaninoff in simple is the Russian version of Ave Maria. It turned out to be one of the best pieces in which the ensemble preformed. The piece is unaccompanied and slow however, Mr. Clinton enforced that we follow all dynamic markings in order to effectively deliver the beauty of the piece. The Spelman students in the ensemble followed all markings but Morehouse students forced Mr. Clinton to present them with every nuance. Mr. Clinton is such a powerful and easy director to follow that Morehouse could not help but to do what they were given.
One of the more challenging pieces of the recital was Dr. Uzee Brown, “O Praise the Lord”. The song was harder to learn and conduct because of the counterpoint throughout and the frequent use of dissonance within the voice parts. The organ and ensemble went against each other for most of the piece. However, the piece turned out to be a huge success.
Tyrone Clinton is a fabulous conductor and I am excited for the day that we cross paths again in our professional endeavors.
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