The Conductor

A conductor has many jobs. He or she is responsible for producing a concert that is so successful that people not only feel like they got their money’s worth, but they have a powerful impression they take away with them that they remember the next day and beyond. The conductor is usually referred to as “maestro,” meaning teacher. Their job begins many months or even years before the concert when the program is planned so that a well-balanced selection of music will be performed in the allotted time. Most professional concerts are planned for two hours. That means you will perform approximately 90 minutes of music if you start five minutes late so late comers can be seated, and allow for a twenty minute intermission so people can intake water or relieve themselves of it. In the old days people used to smoke while they conversed with their companions in the lobby about what transpired in the first half of the concert.

Once the program is planned, the conductor must spend weeks or months studying the score or scores so they know the music inside and out. They must seek out the original intentions of the composer and blend it with their own interpretation. They need to know what every member of the ensemble with sing or play, and the problems attendant with its performance. When they show up at the first rehearsal they have to know which parts to rehearse first so that time is not wasted, and at the end they can play the entire concert in what is know as the dress rehearsal, the last run through before the concert. They must have a concept of the music that is secure and musical and be able to transmit it to the ensemble with few words and copious expressive gestures.

They are primarily responsible for the speed at which the music will be played, the tempo. If the music slows down or speeds up, they are the ones who control that process. They also make sure that the dynamics are properly balanced so that the important musical material is clearly transmitted to the audience. The larger the ensemble the more they need a conductor because players may be very far apart and need to be unified in their efforts. The conductor also needs to cue players when they enter after long periods of rest so they do not worry about counting measures.

Most importantly, they need to make sure that everyone plays the right notes at the right time. They are the provider who gives the ensemble the comfortable feeling that it is being lead by someone who is supremely talented, knows the music, and is cognizant of the needs of the players. They need the confidence that all will be well.

As in all things, there are wonderful conductors and there are fakers. Sometimes you can tell the difference just by watching to see if the musicians are actually watching their leader or are they relying on themselves for security. A conductor may signal their intentions using a baton, if they know how to use one. A good baton is about the length of the forearm. You know things are not good if the conductor is using a pencil. Sometimes they just use their hands. Some conductors jump all over the place and put on quite a show while others limit their gestures to the minimum required for the task. In the end, we judge the conductor by the quality of the performance and the power of the exhilaration we experience on the way home.