THE ROLE OF THE CONDUCTOR

 Think of what would happen if an orchestra had to perform without its conductor? With no one at the helm, the results could be disastrous. Who would determine the tempos or the dynamic levels? Who would cue a player after he/she had not played for several minutes? What about the rehearsals? Without the conductor, much time would be wasted, and rehearsal time for a large, professional ensemble is extremely expensive. Inefficient rehearsals usually lead to poor performances, which can embarrass the performers and result in loss of audience interest and financial support. Rehearsals can be especially critical for the non-professional conductor, whose players/singers are usually less available for rehearsals and less skilled than paid musicians. In such cases, the conductor must allocate the rehearsal time for maximum efficiency—attacking areas where the ensemble needs the most polishing. Conductors must be multi-talented. They must thoroughly know the musical score (the notes on the printed page) and its proper interpretation (style considerations). They should fully understand instrumental and vocal production, and they must know the abilities and limitations of the group's players. Aside from these innumerable technical demands, today's conductors are also responsible for the well-being of the personnel that make up their ensembles. Thus, conductors are often involved in hiring, firing or recruiting players; they may intervene in contract negotiations or clear up disputes between orchestra members, and they usually serve as the liaison between the musical organization and the public. Above all, the conductor's greatest responsibility is to determine the proper interpretation of the music. Maestro Varujan Kojian, former conductor of the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Ballet West, put it this way: "If you ask 110 players about interpreting a piece, then you will get 110 different viewpoints. Variety may be the spice of life, but when it comes to interpreting a piece of music, it should be left to only one person—the conductor." So, do not be fooled into thinking that conductors just stand up in front of an orchestra, looking pretty and flapping their arms to impress the audience. Such gestures, which may at first seem flamboyant or unnecessary, help to convey the conductor's interpretation to both the players and the audience. Without the efforts that conductors make on and off the stage, today's large-scale performances would be virtually impossible