My teacher Jorge Mester the first time I met him asked me this simple question “What is conducting?” I was stumped and after several feeble attempts to describe what conducting is (which is what I wanted to do with my life!) he helped me work it out. That lesson was the most profound he ever gave me and it is something I apply to this day allowing me to never lose sight of what it is I actually do and how I can apply it elsewhere…….. Q: What is Conducting?
A: Conducting is the communication of music through Gesture
We can so mixed up in interpretation, success, responsibility all big words to make what we do seem so important, difficult, incomprehensible even to ourselves sometimes! The more we layer the more we get away from the basic stripped down task at hand and worse with all the pressures we put on ourselves sometimes we can be in a performance and not be in the moment. I believe sincerity begins when we are in the moment.
In the last month I have conducted the Springfield, Tulsa, Fort Worth and Syracuse Symphonies and yet I have been in a place whilst in those performances that didn’t allow me to think where I actually was except in the moment I was performing. The satisfaction of giving performances that go well does not even come close to the satisfaction of being the moment for all of them!
Gesturing is used to cause an effect, to cause a reaction, to show appreciation, to invite, to acknowledge, to unify, to divide, to celebrate the list is endless and as a Music Director I think that as a leader off the podium gestures are also as important and sincerity within those gestures is vital. I believe an organization in which there a linked chain of sincere gestures is an organization that can successfully communicate amongst all that work there and that can also successfully communicate and be relevant to their community
With such a heavy focus on business models I put it to you that the best business model without successful communication is not as good as the worst business model with successful communication. Books, conferences, consultants will go nowhere in fixing problems without communication and that starts with a gesture, a sincere and positive gesture and the effect of reaching out will result in the other party reaching back and ultimately a mutual respect can be established so that the next step can be taken together.
“Sincerity – If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”
Groucho Marx (or George Burns depending where you find it!)
To feel the music is to enjoy it and the great work you do.
I think you hit the nail on the head old bean!