To many the score looks like a secret code.

Learning the score is the first requirement to

leading an orchestra. When you open the score, there is the name of the work, composer,
opus number, key maybe, tempo and the "menu" (means instrumentation). You relate notation
to tempo, for example, if there is no tempomark ( older music), look at bass lines, they
cannot go very fast. Think carefully before starting, otherwise the pulse will not live.
It is most important. Everything is movement, rhythm. Everyone has their own pulse. Find
with it the pulse of the work, the composer.
Now we are in tempo markings. In older music tempo markings were not so necessary. Dances
were known and the dance suites are in their tempos. Menuet, allemande, gavotte, sarabande
etc.how many can nowadays dance them? It is worth taking some courses. One has only to
listen to tango or waltz to know, that they are played too fast. On the period when the
waltz came women had long skirts, not miniskirts (waltz musette). Men had heavy uniforms.
These just as hints for the tempo of these times.
The tempos of the work are more important than one would believe in the beginning of
studies. A young person is for many years going up and down and tempos goes up and down,
but they settle into their own little by little. They become personal. There probably are
not two person who think exactly the same way.
Easy but dangerous path is to listen to the masters recordings. Accelerated course to
surface gliding. Examine the score yourself. The notation gives the answer for tempos, the
piece will bring itself into focus. Character will also be found in the instrumentation.
Read the whole work in your chosen tempo. Now you have a picture of the work in your head.
Leave it there to stew in its own juices. Then you can take picture of other works. Take
the same work out after a week. You note that you remember many parts and at the same time
you can deepen the whole. Also those places you were wondering about at prima vista have
cleared. Now starts slower and deeper exploration. Maybe tempo changes and modulations
will clear, if not, do it more times. If you can`t hear it in your head, play it on your
instrument until you can hear the harmonies in your head.
Let`s take for example a symphony where there is usually four movements. Have you thought
of their relationship to each other? How much silence between the movements do you want
and why? For example Brahms first Symphony, where transition to the Finale must be sensed
exactly, or Sibelius second the transition to Finale. Are you slowing down under the tempo
of Finale? Rather not, because romantic tempos go al next tempo.
Explore the phrases, bowings, balance. There you can find problems because quite few
composers were masterful in instrumentation. On the other hand, the strenght and colour of
the instruments have changed over time. For example, corno has doubled in power, French
bassoon has changed to Heckel. I have observed countless poor balances. Many places don`t
function without changing them a little. Even Mozart has a couple of spots. Why only every
hundredth conductor corrects? Don`t they hear or dare?
What about bowings? Try different kinds of bowings if possible(if you know the string
instruments). With famous orchestras it is no longer possible butAsk experienced concert
masters, don`t trust tradition. There you can find only bad habits. My teacher Leo Funtek
was a skilful violinist in his time, but his fingerings in countless Bruckner passages
didn`t go through anymore in the sixties. In Prokofiev`s and Stravinsky`s scores are
bovings and other markings of which only part is in use anymore. Punta drco for example
in Sibelius has been erased in many spiccato places. One must find a sound vision in the
notation. It is more important than the marked way of playing.
Questions are pouring forth while examining the score. It is worth exploring for a
lifetime, because you always find something new if you are open for changes, an innovative
musician.
Yet, we haven`t even talked about beating or rehearsal technique. That`s already a new
subject.

The most difficult part of conducting begins with the orchestra rehearsal. Conductor is
nothing without an orchestra. As your instrument you have a living machinery, complicated
to handle, not some old fashioned band in an officer`s command. We are all musicians,

doing teamwork. My pedagogical motto is:"Help, but don`t disturb!"

Arriving to the rehearsal, there are some aspects which must be known and planned in
advance. You will know how much rehearsal time you have. If the soloist shows up, time can
be limited. Player`s absences and illnesses complicate the flow of rehearsals, as does the
state of player`s instruments, acoustics, air conditioning, etc . The degree of the works
is anyway the most important thing to consider in dividing the rehearsal time between
pieces. Make sure that the parts are in good shape in every possible way.
In front of the orchestra the first contact with the orchestra is decisive. What kind of
picture do you give of yourself? You can`t give any other you are. Pretensions and false
images will show through sooner or later. If you try more than you are capable of, it
shows. Some conductors have all kinds with, wich they pretend to show their importance
towels, attention arousing stuff like baton cases, watches and other junk to get extra
noice. Avoid all of this. Be player among players.
First after some opening words, explain the work order and "product description" of the
work at hand. Decide, whether you will run the whole section or in parts, will you conduct
like in performance or rehearsal with exaggerated gestures. Use your ears- eyes. Remember
what happens both in the playing and reaction. React with your expression, gesture and
words.
Speak clearly and calmly. Respect people. Don`t imitate the player`s mistakes. Keep
talking to a minimum.
By playing the work you come to find the inner code. Minimize therefor your speech, always
focus your words to the people farthest in the back, but not personally unless you want to
thank them for a beautiful solo. In any case, wait for silence before speaking. If there
is some uncertainty regarding bowing, give time to the concert master. This is his/her
important job. Be sure to notice that pencils are in use. When addressing a concern, first
acknoledge the group/player, call attention to the placeplace in question and then give
the changes/ corrections you want. When beginning from a new place, say the place only
once. This sharpens concentration. Acknowledge wrong notes with a pokerface (show no
expression), don`t just show that you noticed something. Everyone makes mistakes. Start
from the same place a maximum of three times. If after the third time there is still a
problem, you need to change the gesture. You always have to have new technique up your
sleeve.
If you take a technically difficult section under tempo, don`t hammer out the beats, just
listen (don`t disturb). Measure numbers are difficult to find when not every measure is
numbered the way they are in many newer works. For this reason it is best to take new
starts in the middle of the of the movement from or near rehearsal numbers or tempo
changes.
Show with your finger what pattern you will beat. While playingit is also possible to do
so, but show well ahead of time. Warn players of a dangerous place ahead by raising your
hand , without baton, usually the left. When it is a question of meter and pattern change,
show the change with fingers ahead of time.
Nuances and tempo change the first time through is best exaggerated, second time conduct
as you would in concert. While playing you can call out directions, but it is useless to
try to speak or shout during forte sections. You can call attention by pointing to a
player or group when helpful, but it is not necessary to stop the orchestra.
Posture should be as natural as possible, characteristic of the music, same with gestures.
In some cases it is enough to beat time without expression or nuance; the musicians also
have music which they have to read, not just sit around staring to you.
So, feet and legs then: not bent and crooked, squatting or hammering the floor. Audible
extra sounds and speech disturb both the musicians and audience, and can get in the way of
recording. Many recording sessions need to be redone because of the conductor. Hand`s
position, neck stiffness, expression and looks are revealing and have an effect on the
performance. It`s worth studying yourself not in a mirror, but rather with video.
Situation comedy lightens heavy work, but there are limits. Too many jokes (especially
stupid ones) make the atmosphere heavy. Be sensitive to when a situation is helped by a
break.
Rehearsal continues in a friendly spirit while still maintaining a pure, artistic working
atmosphere. Staying fresh and creative, not routine, stimulatesthe rehearsal if the
orchestra absorbs things fast, it`s not necessary to make them play just to kill
time.Players are very sensitive to this and the atmosphere drops. In the dress rehearsal,

if there is time, orchestras like to play through the whole program without breaks (as in
opera and Theatre). This way they know how to use their energy and concentrationand best
focus it in the concert. If the program is too tiring for some winds or brass, you can
invite them to save themselves for the concert. Again: HELP, BUT DON`T DISTURB.