ABSTRACT
Phenomenology essentially refers to what the philosopher Husserl describes as "the things themselves", in other words, the actual events that people experience and the impact that they have on them. Before the interaction can take place, conductors must know instinctively that they have an ability to lead people in certain musical actions, whether it is with a small elementary school choir or a large symphony chorus. Some conductors and teachers simply say they know that they can conduct or teach. A philosophical approach to the notion of craft in relation to art was articulated in 1938 by Collingwood, who, in developing a theory of art, referred to technique as an essential tool of the craftsman; however, he maintained that technique is insufficient in itself to make the craftsman an artist. A good conductor should be concerned with creating conditions in which, through careful manipulation and learning-compatible behavior, the singers can experience the sense of the music.
