Conducting Fundamentals for Drum Majors: Cut Offs, Dynamic Changes, Facial Expressions, and More!

Hi everyone! I am Savannah Starks, and I work as the Associate Director of Bands at Beechwood Independent Schools. I teach 5th-12th grade band, and every year since I’ve graduated high school I have helped train prospective drum majors along with judging auditions. I am very passionate about conducting in a classical and marching band setting, and I strive to teach in this aspect any chance I get.

This video covers specific topics in the drum major handbook I have created to help the drum majors I teach. For the most part, the first half of the video explains each topic in depth, and the second half only demonstrates the topics. These are the following topics in the handbook that are covered in this video:

Prepping Beat One
Fixed/Focal Point Cut Offs
Stop Pattern Cut Offs
Dynamic Changes
Additional Cues/Emphasis
Facial Expressions
Your Purpose on the Podium

Link to my Drum Major Help Playlist (Samuel Crawford/Silent Conducting Videos are found here):    • Drum Major Help  

If you have any questions, please, contact me at savannah.starks@beechwood.kyschools.us!

Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Prep Before Beat One
3:01 2 Beat Prep FP Cut Offs
6:58 1 Beat Prep FP CO
9:20 Stop Pattern Fixed Point CO
12:39 Stop Pattern CO
14:37 Dynamic Changes
18:57 Facial Expressions
20:33 4/4 FP Cut Offs
20:59 4/4 SP CO
21:29 3/4 FP CO
21:49 3/4 SP CO
22:02 2/4 FP CO
22:13 2/4 SP CO
22:24 Subtle Cues/Emphasis
22:48 Left Hand Dynamic Changes
23:16 Purpose on the Podium
26:35 Outro