Do musicians really watch the conductor?

Originally Answered: Do musicians in an orchestra really look at the conductor? Yes. They don’t have to stare at him all the time, like some choral conductors insist on, but they can see the gestures via peripheral vision, and they get indications of tempo, dynamic, phrasing, and other things when needed.

What is the role of the conductor in a symphony orchestra?

“The role of a Conductor is to unify a large group of musicians into a core sound instead of a wild bunch of different sounds surging out; the role of a Concertmaster is to decode the conductor’s information, and transmit it to the orchestra, plus to his section; the role of Principals is to use all this information …

Can an orchestra perform without a conductor?

The conductorless orchestra, sometimes referred to as a self-conducted orchestra or unconducted orchestra, is an instrumental ensemble that functions as an orchestra but is not led or directed by a conductor. Many contemporary classical music ensembles also regularly perform without a conductor.

What is the job of a symphony conductor?

A symphony conductor has several jobs, not all apparent to the audience. Let’s take them one at a time. First, the major part of his work is done in rehearsal, not in performance. While working with the musicians, the conductor lays down the outlines of what he wants in the performance,…

How important is the conductor to an orchestra’s performance?

“What we found is the more the influence of the conductor to the players, the more aesthetic — aesthetically pleasing the music was overall,” Aloimonos said. Music experts who listened to the performance of the orchestra under the control of the two conductors found the version produced by the authoritarian conductor superior.

How do conductors deal with musicians who are poor?

A conductor cannot easily get away treating his subordinates like dogs. This is better for the poor musicians, but not always better for the music. Second, during the actual performance, the conductor tries to keep the music running on the schedule he has set during rehearsals, and tries to keep the musicians from straying too far from the plan.

What happens when the conductor and soloist don’t get it together?

In very rare times when neither the conductor nor the soloist can get it together, the soloist can catch the eye of either the concertmaster or the player that has a very prominent solo coming up and get themselves in sync, which then allows the rest of the orchestra to recognize that point in the music and fall in line.