“Dr. Robert Spradling’s new contribution to the pedagogy of conducting, Error Detection Exercises for the Instrumental Conductor, is a welcome and long-overdue addition to the conducting teacher’s resources for systematically teaching the critical issues of listening and hearing from the podium. This book presents a clear and logical pedagogy designed to serve the novice conductor and to challenge the most advanced graduate student. This is accomplished within a rehearsal setting with students leading the ensemble from the podium, charged with the dual responsibility of detecting errors and providing musical leadership and inspiration. If the art of listening is the cornerstone of great teaching and great conducting, Error Detection Exercises for the Instrumental Conductor is an essential resource for any student who aspires to lead others from the podium in the art of music making.”

“Finally, the missing link is supplied by Robert Spradling’s Error Detection Exercises for the Instrumental Conductor! Bob has developed a programmed set of errors, from easy to difficult, for use within the conducting student’s curriculum. We spent a week with Bob’s error-detection workbook in undergraduate and graduate conducting classes as well as in full ensemble rehearsals. Conducting students of all levels, from beginning through graduate, enjoyed the experience and found it extremely useful.”

“In over forty years of teaching, I have yet to see such enthusiasm as that demonstrated by my graduate conducting students after experiencing firsthand the benefits of Robert Spradling’s Error Detection Exercises for the Instrumental Conductor. This same excitement was shown by both our beginning conducting students and the College-Conservatory of Music graduate orchestra conductors as they worked with the exercises. The benefits of correcting the errors found in the actual literature excerpts were obvious to all who participated in the classes regardless of their skill level or area of expertise. Dr. Spradling’s Error Detection Exercises for the Instrumental Conductor is surely destined to become an integral part of all conducting classes, and I urge all of my colleagues to examine it at their earliest opportunity. You’ll be happy you did!”

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