Do professional musicians who can read music really need a conductor?
If you have a large orchestra, it is impossible for them to play together without a conductor’s help because there are too many things happening all at the same time. When musicians play, the sound of their own instrument prevents them from being able to hear other parts of the orchestra. Also, if we are speaking about a piece of music that has never been played before, there is no chance to survive without a conductor to tell when the first beat is and the second and so on. So, to the question, “Does an orchestra need a conductor?,” the answer is yes. How do you go about getting the results you want from the orchestra, from rehearsal to the concert hall? First of all, I need to do my homework. I need to know the score, to know what is more important and less important—how fast or how slow should we play? At rehearsal, I’m conducting for speed and trying to tell people with my hands what is important—this group or that phrase. It’s very simple—I am like a traffic policeman giving cues
