Conducting facts for kids

Lorin Maazel, a conductor showing how to lead an orchestra.

Conducting in music is like being the leader of a team of musicians. The conductor helps everyone play or sing together. They use hand movements and a special stick called a baton to guide the group.

Imagine a big orchestra with many players. It's super important that everyone plays at the same time. They need to know when to start, how fast or slow to play (this is called tempo), how loud or quiet to be (dynamics), and what the overall feeling of the music should be. If only a few people are playing, like in a small chamber orchestra, they can easily talk to each other. One person might nod their head or use their instrument's bow to help everyone stay together.

But with a huge symphony orchestra, there can be nearly a hundred musicians! They need one special person to lead them all. This person is called the conductor.

History of Conducting

In the 17th century, orchestras were usually smaller. They didn't always need a separate conductor. Often, the person playing the keyboard or the main violin player would lead the group. But as orchestras grew bigger and started using more kinds of instruments, it became common to have someone stand in front, facing the musicians, just to direct them.

One of the first conductors was a French composer named Jean-Baptiste Lully (who lived from 1632 to 1687). He used to beat time by banging a big stick on the floor. Sadly, one day he hit his foot with the stick, and he got a serious infection that led to his death.

Conducting as we know it today became normal by the 19th century. The famous composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was also known as a very good conductor. Some conductors in Victorian times loved to put on a show. For example, Louis Antoine Jullien (1812-1860) was a French conductor who wore white gloves. These gloves were even brought to him on a silver tray before each concert! He wore fancy clothes and his long black hair would fly around as he conducted. He was very popular in France, the UK, and even the US. His concerts mixed dance music with classical pieces, always played by the best musicians.

The British conductor Sir Henry Wood (1869-1944) was very famous for leading The Proms concerts. He was well-liked and respected by both musicians and audiences.

How Conductors Lead

Conductors usually beat time with their right hand. This leaves their left hand free to show different instruments when it's their turn to play. They also use their left hand for other gestures, like telling the musicians to play louder or softer, or faster or slower.

Most conductors use a thin stick called a “baton”. The baton makes it easier for musicians at the back of a large orchestra or choir to see the beat clearly. However, some conductors, especially those leading singers, prefer not to use a baton. A conductor stands on a small raised platform called a “rostrum” so everyone can see them.

Being a good conductor is quite challenging. It's not just about keeping a steady beat. A great conductor knows the music extremely well. They understand how the composer wanted the music to sound. They can also figure out all the technical details. Most importantly, they know how to work with the orchestra to create amazing music that everyone will enjoy. Good communication skills are very helpful, but some conductors say very little during rehearsals. They make everything clear just by the way they conduct.

Famous Conductors

Some of the most famous conductors from the past include: Gustav Mahler, Hans Richter, Arthur Nikisch, Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Leopold Stokowski, Georg Solti, John Barbirolli, Otto Klemperer, George Szell and Leonard Bernstein.

Some of the most famous conductors today are: Marin Alsop, Riccardo Chailly, Gustavo Dudamel, Sir Simon Rattle, Andris Nelsons, Valery Gergiev and Bernard Haitink.

Conductor Titles

The main conductor who is in charge of an orchestra is often called the "musical director". This title usually means they have a lot of power in how the orchestra is run. For example, they might choose which music will be played at each concert. They also invite soloists to perform with the orchestra. Sometimes, orchestras give special "honorary" titles to their conductor, like "conductor laureate".

A "guest conductor" is someone who conducts an orchestra sometimes, but they are not the main leader. The main conductor usually invites them to lead a performance now and then. An "assistant conductor" is often a young conductor who helps the main conductor. They also get the chance to lead some concerts themselves. Leonard Bernstein became famous in 1953 as an assistant conductor for the New York Philharmonic. He had to lead a concert that was being broadcast nationally without much time to prepare! He later became the main director of that orchestra from 1958 to 1969.

Images for kids

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  Herbert von Karajan conducting in 1941

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  Giuseppe Verdi conducting his opera Aida in 1881

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  Leonard Bernstein conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1985

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  A conductor's score (music sheet) and batons on a large music stand.

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  A diagram showing how to conduct slow 6
  8 time.

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  A conductor, Gerald Wilson, leads a jazz big band.

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  A military conductor leads the U.S. Navy band during Memorial Day ceremonies.

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  David Baker, a music educator, composer, and conductor, (far left) leads the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in 2008.

See also

In Spanish: Dirección de orquesta para niños