How great conductors fix things
I still believe the best conducting advice I ever received was from Robert Summer. He was fond of saying, “Say one thing and fix it.” Many young conductors fall into the trap of stopping an ensemble and giving them a laundry list of corrections. The truth is, for most ensembles, if you say two things, they forget the first one. If you say three things, they often forget the first two. There are exceptions to this with high level professional ensembles, but the rule is a pretty good place to start.
I’ve been contemplating the second half of this advice lately. One of the habits I’ve observed in conductors that aren’t as effective is the tendency to say something and not actually fix it. They stop the ensemble and make an observation, but they don’t always make sure that the error is corrected. Enamored with the mellifluous sound of their own voice, the rehearsal becomes a self-indulgent opportunity for pithy displays of insight. Good conductors make sure the ensemble corrects the issue. Great conductors teach the ensemble how to correct itself. The great conductors always have some method that gives the ensemble artistic ownership of the correction. They expect artistry from their musicians, and when a problem is corrected, they demand that the problem stay corrected.
The most interesting part is that the great conductors I’ve worked with don’t have a single method for fixing the problem. They always work within their own specific giftedness.
- Conductors with beautiful gestures sensitize their ensemble to the motions of their hands and do much of what I’ve described non-verbally.
- Conductors with expertise as a soloist can fix problems by demonstrating how they want something to sound and asking the ensemble to imitate them.
- Conductors without great demonstrating ability will often be able to describe in minute technical detail what they want their ensemble to do. (I’ve seen some almost miraculous things in the choral world. I once saw a conductor with a tragic singing voice say, “I’m sensing some tension in your neck.” He then had the singers do a physical gesture to remove the tension, and the improvement in sound was palpable.”)
- Conductors with great insight into the score can often work by inviting people to listen in new ways.
- Conductors with great personal charisma, can sometimes fix technical problems by inspiring emotional engagement. I believe that this works (with voices or instruments) because the emotional engagement produces intentional breathing.
So, “Say one thing and fix it.” When you do fix it, figure out how to use your specific giftedness to solve the problem.
Read more of Kurt’s thoughts at the links below.
