 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Marco
Date: 2001-08-15 15:00
Ive been thinking about my college plans (I'm going into my senior year in high school) and though i've been considering engineering, i've also been thinking more and more about music. I don't think I'm good enough to go into performance, and even if I was I don't think I would enjoy it that much. I've done some composing, and a lot of listening and analyzing of all kinds of Classical (and Baroque and Romantic and modern) music, and I am very interested in conducting, although i havent done much of it besides kind of keeping the beat with recordings. I think that I would really enjoy a job as conductor of an orchestra, where I could interpret works and maybe even have a place to try out some of my own compositions. The problem is, I dont know how to get one of those jobs (would I have to have a performance background, etc?) Could anyone give me some info about this or maybe point me to somewhere/someone where I could find out more about this field?
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-08-15 16:41
Marco -
As a conductor, you have to study and know the music even better than an instrumentalist. You have to know all the parts, read the score transposing all the parts and think about balancing all the parts and knitting them into a whole.
Also, baton technique is a distinct skill that must be learned and practiced. You need to be a music major and take conducting classes.
The only way to get experience is to create the opportunity yourself. Right now, you can take one of your compositions and get a group together to play it, with you conducting. In college, there will be more opportunities. Many music schools have Gilbert & Sullivan groups who put on one or two performances a year. When I was in college, a couple of students wrote a Broadway-type show and put it on. Every college has madrigal groups and small choruses and ensembles. If they don't, create them. That's what college is for. There are elaborate performance halls that sit dark 99% of the time, just waiting for you to make music in them.
Go to the rehearsals of your local symphony. If there isn't one, to to the nearest place there is. If you study with a performing clarinetist, ask him or her to take you to rehearsals. Otherwise, get to know an orchestra member and tag along. Get to know the conductor and the players. Follow along in the score. If you show interest, people will go out of their way to help.
It takes tremendous energy and organization to be a conductor. You're the one everything and everyone else depends on.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Dave Beal
Date: 2001-08-15 18:30
Marco, keep in mind that there are probably a thousand engineering jobs out there for every one conducting job. And 800 of the engineering jobs pay better. If you're pretty good at math and science and enjoy building things and solving problems, you might be better off picking engineering as a career and music as a hobby. I did, and I haven't regretted it.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-08-15 18:33
Or use BOTH as a job? That is, annual orchestral-arrangements or even monthly? I'm in a similar predicament although I'm concentrating VERY heavily on the musical aspects and I'm making the trying of my compositions a hopeful definite in my job description.
Hopefully college will have something for me!!
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Author: Kim
Date: 2001-08-15 19:44
I'm a music major entering third year music classes this fall. One of the classes is conducting and even I'm scared. Music classes can be difficult and they require a lot of hard work. Consider all of your options before saying you want to be a conductor. You might be better at something else that you'll enjoy more!
Good luck,
Kim
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-08-16 04:26
Dave Beal's comment about the scarcity of full time conducting jobs is not to be taken lightly. Most conductors do so as one phase of a larger job. For example, the music teacher who conducts the band/ orchestra/ choir, or a church organist/ choir director.
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Author: Blake
Date: 2001-08-16 14:58
Marco - I too was torn in school between music and environmental science. I decided that music, although part of my soul, could enrich my life, but not my pocketbook. I realized my Senior Year in High School that when I didnt make All State Band that there were at least 12 people better than me in my State alone times 50 states, plus all the others ahead and yet to come...looking at the number of paid clarinet positions in orchestras, military bands... it was a "challenging" call. On the other hand... In the DC area there are over 10 community bands and 6 or 7 Community Orchestras, thousands of churches. I play clarinet in a community band, I'm the bass section leader for a community chorale that gets to perform at the Kennedy Center < i never would have made the NSO.. thats for sure> and I conduct a church choir. Music is still my soul. It just isnt complicated by the need to have it feed me as well. So. I clean up hazardous waste and oil spills during the day, and play/sing/conduct during the evenings and weekends. I have the utmost respect for professional musicians, particularly those on the list, and thank them for their advise, enthusiasm and support. I also am in awe at their ability to juggle family, teaching, playing, repairing in order to sustain themselves. Would you be happy playing at a community band level and conducting volunteers? or do you feel the need to strive for a level of play that is more challenging in some ways? good luck! Either way.. keep on playing! Blake Arlington, VA
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-08-16 15:28
My daughter just returned from Interlochen's HS Camp. As a part of a deal we made, she got to pick a Class & I got to pick the REST of the classes. I chose Conducting & Woodwind Ensembles. She called right away ... screaming ... she hated Conducting & liked Ensembles & wanted to change to Pottery or something(yadda-yadda ... how she doesn't need conducting because she is planning on making her Solo Debut @ Lincoln Center in 2006 --- WRONG!).
I stuck to my guns. 1. She was embarassed to get up in front of a large group and Conduct. 2. Waving the Baton for a long time is tiresome, too.
She conducted 2 or 3 groups --- bands, orchestra & ensembles. She got tired. She says she "will never do it for a living". She learned far more than she ever expected & (without question) enjoyed herself far more than she will let on. I understand (from speaking with teachers) that this course was TOUGH.
I have a client who teaches Conducting @ a local University. It's hard work no doubt. I also think it is VERY REWARDING, too!
Best,
mw
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