Baton down the hatches
Here are some of my pet peeves, in no particular order:
– Saying you want to just “start the piece again” in a rehearsal, then running practically the whole thing. It makes me think you don’t have an idea what you really want to accomplish.
– Playing through something, then playing through the same thing without any comment. Did we do want you wanted the first time or not? If so, is there something you want to reinforce by repeating it? If not, what do you want to change? Tell us!
– Stopping every few bars to correct details. We get no sense of the flow of the music, and have no chance to adjust to your technique and your approach. Give us the big picture of what you want and let us work out the details as we play.
– Balancing the orchestra by altering printed dynamic levels. Instead of saying, “Mark that down to mp,” I’d rather you said “We need to hear the flute here, so be sure your f doesn’t cover that up.” That kind of comment gets us listening to each other better.
On the other hand, things I like:
– A dress rehearsal being used as a practice performance. It’s our chance to see how the concert will feel. It’s too late to still be rehearsing details and making major changes.
– Positive comments that make us want to work harder, in contrast to criticisms which don’t.
– Taking the time to learn the musicians’ names. I’m always impressed when a conductor refers to “Mr. Combs” instead of “first clarinet.” It’s a huge sign of respect, and it’s probably less difficult that it looks. I’m OK with cheat sheets.
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