conducting

[Tash]

i've taken an interest in the wonders of conducting recently- has anyone done some conducting before? what does it take to be a good conductor?

[m1469]

Conducting is very interesting indeed!  I have actually taken about two or so years worth of conducting (maybe more?) including some performance experience outside of the classes.

Anyway, I am by far no pro, but the things that have really stuck with me are very similar actually to how I would think on piano playing.

One of the things I remember most and believe strongly in, is in the motives behind the gestures.  Through experiences as an observer,  choir member, and conducting student, with some truly great conductors, this point is one of the most important things I have found in it all.  The more movement the conductor gives, the heavier the sound tends to be, so it seems one should decide for certain as to why exactly the gesture is needed.  In conducting, I stongly believe in the less is more scenario.

Of course thorough study of the score is valuable.  Learning all of the voice parts/instrumental parts thoroughly and knowing how they should fit together in order to really be of help when it is needed once the ensemble gets together.  Knowing what exactly is the sound you are wanting to hear.  How can you indicate this in gesture?  What do you need to do?

Observe a lot!  Mimic good examples just to get the feel.  Practice in front of the mirror.  Don't forget that your facial expressions have a HUGE impact on the ensemble, especially if they are well trained.  I also think that friendliness can go a REALLY long way in conducting.  People are generally very willing to respond to a conductor who treats them like intelligent and feeling people.

If I remember correctly, you are in choir yes?  Observe closely your director and ask questions after class.  You are in Uni, yes?   Observe the other conductors in school as well.

Of course, the best way to be considered a good conductor is to use only the best musicians who already know exactly what to do and do it  .

Anyway, just some thoughts.

m1469

[Bob]

A conductor studies the score and becomes the music and transfers that to the performers.  How they go about doing that is pretty open, lots of different paths.

Conductors need to have the "vision" of the finished piece in mind and need to know how to get their ensemble to create that vision.  Communication and leadership are big qualities in a conductor.  Again, not standard and open to many variations.  Some conductors are good at the big picture, some focus on lots of minute details and technical concerns, some just ooze expression.

Conductors need to know their score, all about the instruments (ranges, tone qualities, strengths/weaknesses, transpositions, etc.), need to have some skill at physically moving for their conducting, need to plan out rehearsals and be able to make the rehearsing enjoyable or rewarding, need to have "super" ears capable to hearing mistakes and pinpointing exactly what is wrong and then know how to correct it, etc.

Communication, leadership, listening -- These are emphasized in a conductor.

Conductors need to take a printed score and create their own inner aural version of the piece.  I think it's a bigger deal for conductors to "steal" someone else's interpretation off a recording or to be influenced by a recording.  So interpretation is another biggie.

Another important element of being a conductor -- They need someone to conduct!  And that group will influence the way they conduct.  A conductor without a live group has no one to respond to their individual style of communication.  Conducting to a recording doesn't require a conductor to prepare an effect in advance and lead the effect.

That's off the top of my head.  Conducting seriously is really its own thing just as much as piano.  They take lessons, have repertoire, compete for the best schools and best teachers, etc.

[willcowskitz]

In other words: conductor is a musician whose instrument is the orchestra.

[pianowelsh]

Patience  -in abundance!!

[Tash]

excellent thanks. yes i'm in the choir, and watching the sonia (the conductor) do her stuff has absolutely fascinated me, like the way she moves her hands it's just like, i can't describe it, but i love it.
do you ever get incredibly frustrated, due to the fact that you aren't in complete control of the sounds created, like you can tell them how to play it, but they don't necesarily do it? like sometimes sonia'll tell the altos to sing a bit louder but not belting it out, but it can take a few attempts to do so. hmmm good communication skills...

[dlu]

Has anyone ever seen Boulez conduct? It is laughable .
Sorry Boulez....he is still one of my favorites...

[Rach3]

I would love to delude myself into thinking I'd be a famous conductor. Lots of great pianists went bad that way. Once I got to conduct a full orchestra playing a contemporary piece (in performance). It was unfortunate, the orchestra kept going five measures after I stopped. But they were in different places anyway so it didn't matter much. There was actually a solo piano part, I made sure I was positioned directly behind the 9ft lid, invisible to every part of the audience.

[richard w]

do you ever get incredibly frustrated, due to the fact that you aren't in complete control of the sounds created, like you can tell them how to play it, but they don't necesarily do it?

I found myself conducting a novice choir just before Christmas. If I said 'watch the beat and follow me' once I said it 1,000 times. Anyway, the run-through prior to the performance I think I just got everyone watching and following. Great. Then, come the performance half the choir never looked at me once - I'm sure. That's what I call frustrating.

Another thing I call frustrating is having only one tenor who can't read music!

[Bob]

A conductor can "will" the players to play the right way.


Another thing I don't think I mentioned -- Communication, yes, but non-verbal communication can be very important.  Although I have seen those conductors that go up there and flap their arms and great things happen that don't seem to coincide with their conducting.  Some conductors are very good at showing the music with their conducting.