One of the best ways to get better at effective rehearsal management is to play, “What would I choose?”
It’s easy. Simply find ways to watch masterful directors in rehearsal: you can take a personal day, or duck into an all-state rehearsal, or find any number of ways. Sit as close to behind the conductor as you can.
As the rehearsal progresses, a director has many choices to make: how to react, what to focus on, how hard to push. So as you sit behind the director, ask yourself, “What would I choose?” and then predict what they’re going to choose.
When the choices match, pat yourself on the back. And when they don’t, you get to try and determine intent and effectiveness of a choice you wouldn’t have made. And as you do, you learn to make more effective choices going forward.