About Us: What is CONDUCTORCISE®?

  
Maestro Dworkin and young students

Relieve stress, build aerobic stamina, and shed unwanted pounds, while imagining yourself leading a symphony orchestra.

With CONDUCTORCISE®, you can strengthen your heart and open your ears. Maestro David Dworkin leads participants as they enjoy a natural, invigorating upper body workout, learn basic conducting techniques, improve listening skills, and find out about the lives and work of the great composers.

 
 


The uniqueness of CONDUCTORCISE® is born out of natural body movement and our physical response to music. Participants are made aware of rhythm, form, color through use of instruments, and the creative process. The music ranges widely, from marches by John Philip Sousa and Johann Strauss to beloved concert, ballet, and operatic classics of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Dvorak to brilliant showpieces by Offenbach, Rimsky-Korsakov and Copland.

No musical background is necessary!
  What does CONDUCTORCISE® do?  
  Conducting is a physical and a spiritual experience, both athletic and aesthetic. CONDUCTORCISE® keeps the mind alert and the body fit. It stretches and opens the chest cavity, increases the heart rate and circulation throughout the body, and extensively works the upper arms. It also promotes stress relief. CONDUCTORCISE® also helps to liberate endorphins, described by Dr Alan Tall of New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center as “natural opiates released in the brain, when exercising, that give one a sense of comfort and happiness.” For children, CONDUCTORCISE® encourages movement, introduces the magic of music, and helps in learning to assimilate music into the body.
Maestro Dworkin in full form
 

Maestro Dworkin’s Basic Listening Library

  
 


"From the vast repertoire of music written through the ages, I have selected works from the 17th century to the present to begin to build your listening library and introduce you to the wonders and magic of music. For me, this list represents just the tip of the iceberg. Many titles will be familiar, others less known. I am sure you will find this a little overwhelming if you are just starting out, so do not feel you must purchase every composition on the list. Start slowly. Once you begin, you can add other works. I encourage you to either investigate other composers or simply e-mail me any of your questions and thoughts. Happy listening." - David Dworkin

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
This fiery Redheaded Priest is one of the finest examples of composers of the Baroque period.
"The Four Seasons" and other Concerto’s - Naxos 8.505013

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
A must for your collection. The most famous of Baroque composers. Many musicologists agree that much of the music written since Bach’s death, to this very day, has roots in Bach’s vivid musical imagination.
"Brandenburg" Concertos # 4 and 5 Naxos 8.554608
Air from Suite # 3 Naxos 8.553435

George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)
English Baroque composer.
"Water Music" and "Royal Fireworks Music" Naxos 8.550109

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
This is difficult. Mozart wrote 622 works, some of the finest music ever written. I have selected examples from his symphonic, chamber and concerti repertoire.
Symphony # 40 in G minor Naxos 8.550164
Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola Naxos 8.550332
A Mozart Concert in Vienna” (sampling of many works) Naxos 8.550867

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
One of the most lyrical of Classical composers.
Symphony # 8 (Unfinished) and Symphony # 5 and Rosamunde. Naxos 8.550145
Lieden Ganymed (a sampling of Schubert’s songs.) Naxos 8.553113

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Listen to the strength, rhythmic drive and melodic beauty of some of Beethoven’s most famous compositions.
Symphony #5 and 6 Naxos 8.554061
Piano Concerto # 1 and 5 Naxos 8.503001
Piano Sonatas #14,21,23 (this recording includes the famous “Moonlight Sonata”) Naxos 8.550294
Violin Concerto Op. 61 Naxos. 8.550149

Juan Cristomo Arriaga (1806-1826)
He was called the “Spanish Mozart”. He died at the early age of twenty. These are two of his best-known works.
Symphony in D and Overture to “Los Esclavos Felices” Naxos 8.557207

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Schumann led a difficult life. Married to Clara Schumann, a remarkable pianist. Robert Schumann is an example of an excellent Romantic composer.
Symphonies # 1 and 3 Naxos 8.553082

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Brahms was inhibited by the symphonic writing of Beethoven. He did not compose his first symphony until he was in his forties. Once he began, he wrote four of the most beautiful symphonies of the Romantic period.
Symphony #4 (with additional works) Naxos 8.550281
"Hungarian Dances," complete Naxos 8.550110

Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Tchaikovsky poured his soul out in his music. I have selected one of his most famous symphonies and a recording that samples some of his most popular works.
Symphony #2 and 4 Naxos 8.550488
1812 Overture, Capriccio Italian plus other works. Naxos 8.5559

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
Rossini wrote thirty opera’s in twenty-nine years. Many of his opera’s are not performed, but the Overtures remain standard repertoire in all major orchestras. When he did retire, he spent a great amount of time in bed……eating……sounds like fun?
Overtures to “Barber of Seville” and other famous overtures.Naxos 8550236

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1814-1908)
A master of orchestration. Rimsky-Korsakov painted beautiful musical murals using the instruments of the orchestra. One of his most famous works is:
“Sheherazade“…A musical portrait of the fable “The story of a Thousand and one nights." Naxos 8.550726

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)
Another giant of orchestration.
“Symphony Fantastique” Naxos 8.550093

Bedrich Smetana (1824-1918)
Known as the first major nationalist composer of Bohemia. (Czechoslovakia). He gave his people a musical identity.
“The Bartered Bride” (orchestral excerpts) Naxos 8.550376

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)
Along with Smetana and Janacek, is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Nationalist movement in Czechoslovakia.
Symphony # 9 (from the New World) Naxos 8.550271
“Slavonic Dances,” Opus 46 and Opus 72 Naxos 8.550143

Claude Debussy (1861-1918)
This composer heard a sound that was never heard before. He introduced into his compositions the “Whole tone scale.” This introduced the musical Era of “Impressionism”
Prelude to the “Afternoon of a Faun,” “La Mer” and “Nocturne” Naxos 8.550262

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Influenced by Debussy, but developed his very own sound and style of composition. Ravel was considered another great orchestrator.
“Daphnis and Chloe” Suite #2 plus other works Naxos 8.550424

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Stravinsky stunned the musical world with his (then) avant-garde compositions. His harmonies and rhythms created conflict and caused fistfights during some of the premiers of his greatest works. One of these works is “The Rites of Spring” Naxos 8.554060

Sergie Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
This Master Russian composer is an example of post-Romanticism. Large orchestral works, expansive and melodic.
Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini Naxos 8550809

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
The Dean of American Music.
“Rodeo,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” “Billy the Kid,” “Appalachian Spring…All on one recording.” Naxos 8.550282

Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
True genius. I have listened and watched this musical comet travel through the universe from his amazing debut with the New York Philharmonic, when he took over for an ailing Bruno Walter in 1943, until his death in 1990. A great Conductor, pianist and teacher.
Symphony # 2 plus Overture to “Candide” and Symphonic dances from "West Side Story.” Naxos 8.559099

"As you can see, I have suggested recordings from the Naxos catalogue. I did this because they are fine recordings, easily accessible and inexpensive. There are many other recording labels out there. Once again…. Enjoy your listening."