Canons, also known as rounds, provide excellent material for developing our musical skills. For conductors and music leaders, aural and analytical skills are central to our practice. It is often necessary to perceive, understand, and sometimes also perform multiple pieces of musical information simultaneously, so that we can identify issues and problem-solve in “real-time” during rehearsal and performance, and provide focused, effective feedback and guidance for our singers.

Use the four series of exercises below to develop these important polyphonic skills, fine-tune your aural perception, and enhance your capacity for musical multitasking.

Created & Produced by Dr Róisín Blunnie
Creative Team: Dr Róisín Blunnie, Dr Barbara Dignam, Shane Barriscale
Dublin City University, Ireland