This past week has been an opportune time to watch contrasting leadership as it pertains to orchestral conductors. One conductor was very detail oriented and controlling (there was not one dynamic passed over without taking issue). The dynamics were either too soft or too loud. The conductor essentially taught note by note to the entire orchestra of professional players. The conductor used much of the rehearsal time to explain his wants. During one 2 1/2 rehearsal the collective group played no more than 40 minutes during the entire rehearsal.
Second conductor had definite ideas regarding the musical phrases of each composition. To this end, he rehearsed the orchestra repeatedly until he heard the sound that he desired. Few words were spoken, but much time was spent playing by the individual musicians.
After each respective dress rehearsal, the orchestra members quickly left the stage of the first conductor; and for the second conductor, the orchestra members broke into spontaneous applause as an expression of gratitude.
On the day after the concert, second conductor sent an email to the membership expressing heartfelt thanks for working hard and presenting a fine program. The first conductor...
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- Mardow
- “The journey home is never a direct route; it is, in fact, always circuitous, and somewhere along the way, we discover that the journey is more significant than the destination.”—Paul Brenner (Nelson DeMille’s book, Up Country)
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