You know that anticipatory moment: The house lights dim, a conductor makes his or her way to the front of the orchestra, and acknowledges the audience’s applause. Then with a turn to face the players and with baton poised, the music is ready to begin.
A conductor brings the beauty of music to life. But how did the role of the conductor become established, and how has it changed over the centuries? What challenges does a conductor face before the audience settles in for a performance—and what happens after that first downbeat is given and the score unfolds? With music and visuals, explore the world of the conductor from a unique perspective—the podium.
A. Scott Wood, music director and conductor of the Arlington Philharmonic and the Amadeus Orchestra, offers a firsthand guide to what a conductor does from the first viewing of the score until the final performance’s bows.
UPDATE: Participants also have the opportunity get a real-life sense of that role when they attend an Arlington Philharmonic orchestral rehearsal on Saturday, March 11 from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Other Connections
Leonard Bernstein brought a distinctive sense of command, glamour, and passion to the podium. Take a look at clip from a 1955 “Omnibus” broadcast in which he discusses the genesis of the role of the conductor, and then watch him—from the players’ perspective—lead the Berlin Philharmonic in a work by Haydn.
