Conductor

The conductor may be thought of as the foreman or traffic cop or interpreter of the orchestra. Before stepping out in front of the orchestra, the conductor must study the work and form an impression of it. In rehearsals, the conductor conveys that impression to the musicians in the orchestra. Orchestra members only see their parts; the conductor sees the entire score and knows what is going on where. It is the conductor’s job to communicate to the musicians what is important, what should be in the background and how any problems should be resolved. The conductor determines the tempo and beats time to make it easier for the musicians to keep track of where in the music they are. The conductor points out entrances and describes the soul and character of the music with his gestures.