Should You Have a Go at Conducting?
- Tim Knight Music
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 1
I have heard this many times, should you have a go?
If you love music and understand people, conducting can be a rewarding experience. It allows you to help others create something beautiful together. In joint music-making, everyone plays a vital role. This can be one of the greatest joys you can offer others. Your conducting career can be long and life-enriching.
Recently, I heard an orchestral conductor say, "In conducting, the first 50 years are learning." If this is true, and I believe it is, then I have much to learn. I also watched a video of the great Sir Georg Solti in a masterclass. He told a trainee conductor, "My players can count, so unless you have something else to bring to the party, why are you here?"
Conducting is about more than just keeping time. Many people are eager to grab a baton, but it is often unnecessary in choral conducting. Most of the real work happens in rehearsals, where you prepare singers or instrumentalists.
Musician, Teacher, Counsellor, Organiser
I recently worked on a piece that was a free download from the web. It was a good arrangement of "Deep River," a well-known choral piece. However, the score lacked any instructions beyond the notes and words. If we sang exactly what was on the page, it would be correct, but would it be musical?
With some effort to add dynamics, shape phrases, and highlight important notes, the piece transformed into something beautiful. I have witnessed this transformation time and again with the variety of choirs I have had the pleasure of working with.
A conductor's work begins with score preparation. You must use all your musical knowledge to identify challenging parts and understand the composer's intentions. The goal is to create a complete picture of the score. The conductor's role then shifts to that of a teacher, clearly conveying their vision of the final sound to the group.
The larger the group, especially in large choral and orchestral works, the more a conductor is needed. This increases the responsibilities attached to the work.
How Can I Help?
I have a little book that can assist you. This booklet contains over 35 years of experience that you can draw on. It covers many aspects of a conductor's challenges and offers numerous tips to guide you along the way. Here’s what an established conductor had to say:
"Getting the Best from Your Choir" is an absolute gold mine of hints, tips, and tricks that any choral director would benefit from reading. The booklet distills over 30 years of experience, with pearls of wisdom on every page. With a casual and humorous writing style, Tim Knight explains the technical prerequisites of good choral singing.
Underpinning the entire booklet is the philosophy: "people first, singers second." This highlights that good musicianship is about more than just accurately reading the score. If you're a choral director looking to improve, get yourself a copy of what is essentially a masterclass in music.
Maybe this little book will help you decide whether you should have a go. If you buy it and want more assistance, feel free to get in touch. Who knows? We might create music together someday! Some of our other services relating to conducting are also listed below, including a new course to get you started!
Tim
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