THE ROLE OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS IN THE ART OF MUSICAL CONDUCTING
THE ROLE OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS IN THE ART OF MUSICAL CONDUCTING

Summary/Abstract: Facial expressions can be regarded as an accurate reflection of the inner emotions people manifest towards the surrounding reality, filtered through their own emotional „strainer”. The source of these feelings lies not only in external influences, but also in a man's own thoughts, experiences, level of education and culture, as well as the degree of development of their own volitional and emotional capacities, in which muscle movements are merely just a simple mechanical means of rendering. The entire array of facial expressions acts as a unitary system which does nothing but complete the movements of the conductor's hands, filling them with meaning. We can say that this type of communication represents a way of combining the most delicate, vibrant, profound, and subtle feelings. It would be impossible to imagine that the movement of the arms, unsupported by the expression of the eyes and face or by the position of the body, were able to express a large array of emotions (joy, pain, sadness, rage, fear, surprise, or confidence) accurately and unequivocally.

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