I have been reading a lot lately about bullying and firing orchestral musicians, about conductors taking cellphone calls in rehearsal (literally while in the act of conducting), of conductors asking orchestras to do "questionable" things in Mozart. Time to stop the madness; time to lay down the law.
1) Lose the cellphone.
There is no reason to have a cellphone or electronic device in rehearsal, or in performance. That goes for both orchestra and Maestro. Texting, checking the IPhone or trolling the Blackberry for messages in the rehearsal room, on either side of the podium, distracts from the task at hand. Nothing short of one's wife giving birth - not even one's husband getting a hole in one - is worth breaking the train of thought and concentration required to play serious music. Legendary orchestras and conductors throughout history have managed, somehow, to make great music and art without PDA's in hand; we can do it, too. I admit, I have at times used my phone to check the time in rehearsal; no more. From now on, I'll rely on my watch.
2) Conduct with your hands, not your words.
Replace verbal instruction with ever more precise gesture. The best rehearsing is and always has been great conducting. Working on physical craft (notice I didn't use the "b" word) is just as necessary and useful for the experienced 'stro as it is for the newcomer. Tiger Woods still has a golf coach, professional pitchers still use pitching coaches, experienced singers have voice teachers. We even expect orchestral musicians to practice their parts. How is it that only conductors don't have to continue to improve and refine their craft?
3) Replace beating with listening and observing.
Was rehearsing Brahms 2 the other day at Indiana with a young orchestra. It took some effort, but I succeeded in stopping making an effort, physically. I simply set up a tempo and intently OBSERVED. I let the orchestra play, let the orchestra find its own interior communication. They were great; tentative at first, but ultimately very responsive and grateful for the trust. Sound poured forth, the symphony ebbed and flowed without me. Remember: The bigger the beat, the less secure you are in the score. Active listening trumps active beating. And no one appreciates having a big stick constantly being swung at them.
4) Be sensitive to the ensemble and collaborate intelligently with it.
No one in your orchestra is there because they don't want to play or they aren't musical (though they may not want to play with YOU...). Everyone brings what they have, in terms of talent, ethic and spirit, to the communal endeavor of making orchestral music. That said, orchestral musicians don't like being "told" what to do any more than we like to be told, particularly when they are told to do stupid, dishonest, or unmusical things. This doesn't mean that we should ingratiate ourselves through witty banter or smiles. We win the orchestra's trust by excellent craft, impeccable score study, exquisite taste and diplomatic communication - verbal and gestural - that shows respect for the individuals in the group and for the group as a whole.
5) Three-part rule no. 1:
a) "If you don't ask, you don't get." The orchestra will revert to and never improve from its "default" sound and level unless and until you insist that they do something different (hopefully, better). That insistence can be communicated gesturally or verbally, rudely or politely, but unless and until it happens, the orchestra's capacity for improvement or growth will be limited. It won't get better of its own accord anymore than a rosebush will blossom without being tended. It is both our right and our responsibility to ask for better.
b) "If you ask, you get." Part of the compact between orchestra and conductor is that they must, to the best of their ability, do what you ask them to do, at least until your contract expires. It is their job, literally, to execute the artistic will of the conductor. Whether they do it willingly or unwillingly, with joy or with a disgusted smirk, because or in spite of us, they will, sooner or later, if we are persistent, execute our direction. That said, be inclusive, musically motivated, non-personal and patient in your asking.
c) "The more you ask for, the more you get."
In my experience, most orchestras LIKE to play better and appreciate it when the conductor encourages and motivates them to do so. So keep on asking for more - be it more sound, more piano, more short, more accented, more phrased, even more together (assuming that you are helping, not hurting their ensemble through your gesture). Feel free to insist on what you think is right, as long as you do it with respect for the score and for the musicians.
I promise we'll talk about firing musicians soon, but not now. It's too nice a day outside.
More rules later. Back to work!
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