The best rehearsals aren’t the ones when the conductor is most intentionally intense. The best rehearsals are the ones when the conductor can surf the waves of attention.
Our attention always ebbs and flows, and not always predictably. An overly controlling conductor seeks to dictate the attention, fighting against the natural flow in the room. An overly permissive conductor might react to a lapse in attention by stopping rehearsal, giving up, or letting the least attentive chorister at any given moment dictate the pace of the room.
The most successful conductors surfs the waves of attention, guiding musicians to line up their low-attention and high-attention moments for efficiency. These conductors react in the moment, altering their rehearsal pacing and focus to maintain positive progress.
Learn to surf the waves of attention and watch your rehearsals increase in efficiency without autocratic control or severity.