Here’s a core philosophy I hold about the groups I conduct:
This group doesn’t belong to me. I’m just its caretaker.
This group belongs to you. The members of the group have primary control of the trajectory of the group, of the sense of ensemble, of the progress from week to week, of the musical benchmarks, of so much.
I am here to help you along the way. I’ll pick music, I’ll conduct rehearsals, I’ll teach. But the group doesn’t belong to me.