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Re: ornery conductors

Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-04-16 02:49

The best thing you can do is to eat crow, play your best, and don't let it get to you. Remember the conductor must have some redeeming qualities or else they wouldn't be in that position.

I am a conductor in a school band, and there are times when I get hot under the collar with my musicians. I never call on them personally for musical mistakes; it's mainly for not paying attention. But I notice that when I do have to raise my voice, it's mainly because my soul is not getting the musical salve it's expecting at the moment. Translation: bad playing breaks my heart. Conducting is an extremely emotional experience, and when you're enjoying the sounds and suddenly it all goes haywire, it's a shock to the system. Some conductors take it worse than others.

I recall a quote from some long-forgotten musician: "I've played for some great conductors and every single one of them was a despot. But they were all also great musicians who knew how to get at the heart and soul of the music."

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