大象传媒

Musicianship

It seems obvious, but core musicality is a non-negotiable part of being a conductor or music director. “You have to have a good ear for sound, as well as for pitch,” says Alice. “You need to be able to keep time, and have the confidence to know when something doesn’t sound right”.

Alice Farnham

That could mean picking a single wrong note out of, say, a 12-note chord. Do your ears have what it takes?

Versatility

Most conductors start out as another kind of musician altogether – and having some experience of playing different instruments and singing will help you connect with ensembles and individuals down the line. “Someone who has a high level on at least one instrument, but is also very interested in other aspects of music would make a good conductor,” says Alice.

Prepare to be flexible when it comes to listening, too. In 2018, Sir Simon Rattle told the 大象传媒 Young Musician podcast that he always tells conductors to “listen to every kind of music you can: from music written at the beginning of time to music written yesterday, to world music to rap, to anything that you think can inspire you”.

Confidence

West End MD Yshani Perinpanayagam knows all too well how terrifying it can be to be behind the baton. “If you get it wrong, it feels incredibly lonely; you feel like you're being looked at by a group of people who don't trust you and potentially know better,” she says.

Yshani Perinpanayagam

“But when it works, it's just the most amazing feeling. The feeling of enormous community when you get it right is wonderful. [The Womens Conductors course] has meant that I've felt more eligible to put myself forward.” (Click here to read more from Yshani Perinpanayagam and the other women featured in Radio 3's Women In Front focus for IWD 2019.)

Alice points out that quite a lot of the time, an ensemble just wants a decision to be made. But the weight of that responsibility can be considerable, especially when you're just starting out. “When I was 19-20, I had lots of opinions about music, but I didn't think they were valid,” admits Alice. “I was too scared to ‘impose’ my views on other people. But you have to be able to communicate your intentions and have the courage to persuade people to do things your way.”

Control

Musicians of all types and genres tread a fine line between vulnerability and control. A great performance invariably requires musicians to tap into their emotional reserves, but letting your feelings get the better of you during a performance is inadvisable.

“You’ve got to somehow bare your soul, but at the same time be very resilient,” says Alice, “be totally in it, but also in control. That's a dichotomy that we struggle with all the time”.

Strength

Conductors are often among the most entertaining performers to watch during a concert, as they frequently use not just their hands, but their whole bodies to direct an ensemble.

“But waving your hands around for three hours is quite exhausting,” says Alice. “It's physically quite a strain. If you don’t conduct from the core of your body, then you breathe more shallowly and speak with your throat, rather than from your diaphragm – so you're more likely to lose your voice quicker, too. Looking after your body should be part of every conductor’s training.”

Hard work

If you’re serious about conducting, you should expect to work some long, hard and often quite antisocial hours. “There are strict rules about when rehearsals start and finish, and how long breaks are,” says Alice, “but quite often the conductor won’t actually get a break, because of people coming up to ask questions, or meetings scheduled during meal breaks. You often don't even get to sit down, because you're standing the whole time.”

Sounds tough? It might be worth it for the rush you’ll feel after the performance – but don’t expect that to help with the antisocial hours thing. “After you finish a performance, you can't just go straight to bed because you’re still buzzing!” says Alice. “But that's true for all musicians.”

Being prepared… for anything

Most of the time a conductor’s life will be if not predictable, at least manageable. But every now and again you might land a more… unusual gig.

“The strangest job I’ve ever done was an open air performance in the Arctic Circle,” reveals Alice.

“I was conducting Puccini at the sod-laying ceremony for a new city, and thought I’d be able to turn the pages of my score by making a little hole in my gloves. But it turned out that minus 28 degrees is far too cold for that, so I had to wear mittens and conduct from memory.”

The good news is that this situation is very, very unlikely to happen to you – but something equally as bizarre might, so be prepared.