Tips for New and Aspiring Ensemble Conductors

When one first learns to conduct an ensemble, there is so very much to learn.  It’s much more than just waving a stick around.  Here are seven tips for new conductors:

1.     Know your technique cold.

Learn to cue, how and why.  Learn how to effectively and efficiently conduct fermatas, with and without caesura.  Learn how to conduct all meters, not just the simple ones.

2.     Score Study. A lot.

When you first approach a score, listen to a few recordings.  Then, put the recordings away and start making your own choices.  If you have the skill, play through the parts on a keyboard.  Figure out what will be difficult for you to conduct, and what will be difficult for the musicians.  Where will they want cues?  Where will they want help?  Are there errors in the part?  Do you understand the harmonic progressions?  What decisions will you make about tempo and style?

3.     Keep your scores in your head, not your head in the scores.

The number one thing you can do is to learn your scores.  Your eyes should be on your ensemble 90% of the time while conducting.  Too many conductors—especially new ones—use the score as a crutch.  Conduct without it a few times to ensure you are comfortable knowing the piece.  Your focus should be on what is happening in the ensemble and what you want to do musically while you are conducting, not on reading and trying to figure out what’s next.  To do this you need eye contact with the ensemble constantly while they are playing.

4.     Practice piano for 15 minutes every day for the rest of your life.

This advice was given to me by one of my professors during my undergrad and I wish I had started this practice then.  The skill to play reductions of scores from piano or to accompany and understand harmony using a keyboard is invaluable.  Transposition is another often-underdeveloped score in new conductors that keyboard work can help with.  Develop these skills early and hone it every day.

5.     Learn other instruments- at least the basics.

You don’t need to be able to perform each instrument with mastery, but try to get a sense of how each instrument operates.  What fingering issues do wind players have?  How might suggesting alternate fingerings help them overcome challenging passages?  Which notes are harder to tune on which instruments?  Will this passage require difficult shifting in your strings?  Learning the basics of each instrument will help you to help your ensemble.

6.     Listen to as many different types of music as possible.

Don’t stick to your genre.  There is a lot of music out there, and each style will give you more understanding of how music works and perhaps give you ideas of how to interpret music in your main genre(s).  In your principle genre, learn the repertory.  If you are a wind band director, know all the big wind band pieces.  Discover new pieces daily.  Attend concerts.

7.     Watch those who are great.

Some of the best things I have learned as a conductor came not from the classroom, but from watching how professional skilled conductors treated various passages.  Everyone has an individual style and approach to conducting.  Watch those who are great and who get great results.  Try to figure out why they use the type of gestures they do, and whether or not their approaches would be helpful or detrimental to your own conducting.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg- but it’s a good start.  Master these seven tips and you’ll be well on your way to leading with artistry as an ensemble conductor.  One final tip:  Never stop learning or honing your craft.