Conductors and Orchestras — Research

I’m always looking for interesting and helpful articles, books, blogs about conductors and how orchestras function.  Yesterday, following another question about Russian phrases, I found research notes on rehearsals that I’d written several years ago while observing rehearsals at the Minnesota Orchestra.  Hidden treasures.  Can’t predict when I’ll stumble onto them….

 For example, at the Inside the Classics blog (link on my blogroll) which I’ve been reading fairly regularly, I discovered two “Ask the Expert” posts that are helpful also to my research for conductors and orchestras.  The first is entitled “Ask the Expert: Talent Scouting” and deals with how the Minnesota Orchestra’s season is put together.  A glimpse into the gigantic job of planning a season, programs, and booking artists.  The second is entitled “Ask an Expert: Conductor Skill Sets.”  Sarah Hatsuko Hicks, Assistant Conductor at the Minnesota Orchestra, writes about what makes an average conductor, a good conductor and a truly great conductor.  I would put Evan Quinn in the good conductor group with the potential to be truly great, but who knows if he’ll make it?  That’s the deal — experience also has a tremendous influence on the development of a conductor.  Ms. Hicks talks a little about charisma, which can hurt as much as help.  But I do think that a conductor’s personality can figure in his success, too, just as in any human endeavor.  I’ve tried to make Evan curious about the world and people with a desire to share his knowledge and love for music.  No artist works in a vacuum.

I’ve found the Inside the Classics blog to be interesting, fun, and quite helpful to me and I’m grateful to Sam Bergman and Sarah Hatsuko Hicks for their hard work on it.  I recommend it.