Working With A Conductor

For most of you who studied music in high school or college, you’ve been in a performing ensemble. These ensembles are usually run by a music director, or a conductor. Knowing the role of the conductor and how you fit in with them will help you to become a better player and ensemble member.

1. Purpose of a conductor: The conductor is there to interpret the score and to glue all the pieces together into a coherent sound. They should be (but unfortunately not always) highly proficient in at least one instrument. Many conductors are pianists, as the instrument makes it easy to play a full score.

2. What a conductor is NOT: A conductor (depending on the ensemble) is typically not there to go over notes with you. In younger ensembles, the conductor will definitely have to help the students read, but as you get older and more mature, the role of instrument instructor should diminish. The conductor serves to polish up the piece and get it concert ready.

3. Questions: If you ever have a question during a rehearsal, try to quietly ask your section for help, perhaps from the section leader. This will help get out of the conductor’s way so that they may help others, or work on larger portions of a movement. If you still don’t understand, patiently wait for them to stop working on their excerpt, raise your hand and ask away.

4. Always look up: Unless the music is new and you’re sight-reading, do your best to look up. In my own ensembles, we always sound better with music memorized because the students are looking directly at me for interpretation. When their faces are in the score they lose that connection and focus. If you can’t look up all the time, try to glance every 5 -10 seconds.

5. Arm waving: Some conductors are TERRIBLE at waving their arms and gesturing. What most people don’t realize is that most of conducting is research and conveying what they’ve learned from that research to their ensemble in an effective way. The better conductor will be able to communicate more clearly. Even if your conductor is hard to follow or has poor gestures (which is unfortunate) always listen to what they have to say in rehearsal. It’s during the rehearsal where the real magic of piecing a song or work together happens!