Don’t kid yourself. It’s totally possible to follow from the front.
Leaders who don’t know where they are going can cheat over their shoulders to get clues. They can see where the people behind them are going and follow them.
It’s easy in the choral rehearsal to be in front of the ensemble and yet not truly lead. Certainly there can be value in following, despite being the leader – letting your ensemble take control and guide the ensemble – but if you are letting the ensemble lead simply because you don’t know where you’re going, then you need to step back and assess how to better prepare and use the podium you’re on to lead, not follow.