Review of Newland Custom Batons -- Effortless Control

Newland Silhouette

Newland Custom Batons -- Effortless Control
by Jeff Whitmill

A conductor's baton is one of his tools in trade, an item he uses to communicate his interpretations of tempo, dynamics, structure, emotional flow - the uses are as numerous as conductors themselves.

There's a lot to consider when purchasing a new baton - the size and shape of the grip, the length of the shaft, the balance of it all. How does it respond when you give a downbeat, cue the violas, call for more from the brass or end the piece with a final sweep? How does your arm feel after waving the baton for a 2-hour rehearsal? How about your baton hand - has it cramped from holding the grip for an extended period?

Newland Teardrop

Choosing a baton is a complex undertaking, and conductors often devote longer than you imagine to finding just the right one. And once they've found it, they will insist on that one, and that one alone, for years to come.

Newland Teardrop

I've selected and used and been finicky about batons for 40 years, and I know what I like.

Or, I thought I did, until I took in hand a couple of batons from Newland Custom Batons. I sampled both a teardrop and a silhouette grip, both in hardwood. My first thought was how nicely they fit in my hand. The grips were not so large as to make my hand bulge or feel unnatural.

And the weight was good - no extra pressure dragging on the back of my hand.

The balance felt good, too - it was just an easy item to hold in my hand (and this held true for both batons).

Newland Silhouette

But holding it in one's hand for a bit, waving it around, is not the same as using it in a rehearsal or performance. I had an opportunity to use one (I took the silhouette grip) in a reading a couple of weeks later - and that's where the Newland made me a believer.

I used the baton for about an hour in a reading rehearsal - and it seemed to just disappear. I didn't think even once about it; it felt so completely natural, such a perfect extension of my arm and hand. I've never had a baton feel so "right" - it made the motions of conducting as effortless as I've ever experienced - so much so, that at the conclusion of the rehearsal, I was startled a bit to realize I'd just used a brand-new baton, one I'd never used before.

This effortlessness was made possible by the beautiful construction - by the attention paid to shape, materials, length, weight and balance by the baton maker.

Newland makes custom batons; I thought I might try that out, but I like the samples they sent so much, I may just fixate on them.

There are a lot of good baton makers out there; Newland is one of the best.