Conductor

Duration: About a minute per player
Age range:Children aged 5 - 12
Players: 5 – 15. If you have more, consider dividing into smaller groups.

This can be played with voices but people usually feel less inhibited playing it on instruments. Allow plenty of time before the game for demonstration and exploration of the instruments you use.

• Everyone has an instrument apart from one who is the conductor. If the conductor points at you, start playing until you are pointed at again, at which point stop and wait for the next signal.
• While you are playing look out for other signals to make you play louder or softer. These are usually hands rising, palms facing upwards, for louder; hands falling, palms downwards for softer.
• The number and combinations of instruments playing at any given time is up to the conductor. The length of the performance is up to the leader who, at the end, must choose a new conductor.
  

Note: It really doesn’t matter what notes, rhythms you play. Anything goes. Explore the instrument you are holding and, if it is one you play already, perhaps even with some expertise, forget all you know about it, imagine you’ve never seen one before, and find new ways of playing.

Tip: Avoid arguments over who gets to play what and who is the conductor by playing a game like Musical Statues to allocate the instruments. As people are eliminated from that game they choose from the collection of instruments. The winner of that game is the first conductor.