Journey Together

This is not a democracy…but we are on a journey of discovery together.

We aren’t going to vote on where to breathe…but we will experiment with different ideas.

I don’t have all the answers…but I will take all the answers you have and make a final decision.

I had an interesting conversation with Anders Edenroth about a generational difference in conductor style. He saw my generation of conductors as much more inclusive in the rehearsal process than the previous generation, who tended to be more autocratic.

I agree, but with a caveat. It’s a really tricky balance to open the group up to the musical decision process without loosening the reins too much.

But it’s important. Every person has unique ideas about music, and every group is unique in its makeup. When I’ve conducted the same piece more than once in my career, the interpretation has often been quite different, because the people have been quite different. Why shouldn’t that be the case?

Today, open up some small choice to the group. Maybe when someone asks “should there be a crescendo here?” or “where should we breathe?” you turn it around. What do you think we should do?

Take thirty seconds to discuss, and then YOU make the decision. It’s inclusive but limited. Not democratic, but group discovery.