I've seen or had the teachers. About the power play thing. You can even see it in the first seen. When I watched that I was thinking I might tell the guy I was practicing (I'd probably continue practicing if he walked in), and then tell him I understood he was trying to do some kind of Yoda thing and my response really wouldn't change what he was doing much and ask what he wanted.
For the tuning scene, I think the same effect could be pulled off without the racist/sexist/etc. wording...
Director: Are you in tune?
Student: ...
Director: Don't you know? Don't you think you should know? You can't tell me if you're in tune or not? Do you think you should be here if you can't tell if you're in tune?
Followed by "How do you get in here?" "Who let you in here?" Something like that. I would think the same belittling could happen without being in your face. It's done in front of an ensemble too so there's the social aspect there along with the fear in others that they might be called out for something.
What the student could say (because it's pretty vague asking, 'Are you in tune?') is that his instrument was in tune and at x, y, and z spot he was listening down and was in tune.
Tuning's a whole ensemble effort though. That guy was a trombone (4th chair?, not that it would matter so much I think) so if he's the lowest note he's only got himself for other notes for reference pitches. Everyone would be adjusting to him, being the lowest note.
The director's setting himself up for criticism though. His speaking and hand gestures are a little out of sync with each other ("jazz" conducting, not classical). It doesn't look that precise for hand gestures. And.... I don't know where gets the 5, 6, 7, 8 from except dance maybe (the actor thinking that, that is) but for conducting you don't need to give a full measure to cue an ensemble in. It's redundant. Too much. You only need beat. This guy is so specific with measure numbers, why is he that sloppy (or that nice?) with giving a full measure to come in? It's also training his ensemble to be a little less ready. All he needs to give is 4-1 (or breath-1) to cue them in. His speaking could be more rythmic to help them in too. I thought for a bit he might be doing the director thing where not everyone comes in so the director stops the ensemble multiple times and cues them all in so they all breath and attack together. He does seem concerned about the tempo though. You'd think though, considering he makes them stay there for apparently hours, that he'd realize it's him for the tempo matching thing and not the ensemble. He's got ~10 people all very alert and waiting, but none of them match his tempo for hours and hours? But it could be another power move, or it could be training the ensemble (esp. rhythm section) to be that precise for honing in on the very exact tempo the director is giving. (He should just be doing a better job giving them the tempo.) He does seem really concerned about "perfect tempo" in a few parts where he expects the percussionists to be able to play at a very specific tempo on the fly.
The New Yorker article had some interesting points -- No mention of studying theory, music history, listening, improvising, etc. For the tempo issue again, none of the student were or had taken conducting lessons? If he's going to attack the ensemble, wouldn't someone also be up front with him and tell him he needs to cue them in better?
Haha...
For tempo scene, I'm actually surprised he says 'all good,' except to let them know.... It's not a big deal? He also tells them (gives them the answer) that they're rushing. Why not stop and ask the group why he stopped them? Even in this clip he starts to clap. I thought he was going to clap and force them to keep his beat but he doesn't carry on with that. I've seen director's (did it myself) clap when the group isn't in time and they're out of idea. Just force them in time by clapping.
Topic: Anyone seen the movie Whiplash?