It’s Not About You

Can you think of any profession whose practitioners are more famous for their egos than conductors are? Maybe politicians? Certain opera singers?

The egotistical conductor is a central trope in quite a bit of orchestral humor — including several jokes I shouldn’t repeat in a blog that my mother might read. One of my favorite examples is this video, in which two great trumpet players, Mark Gould and Brian McWhorter, not-so-gently mock the legendary egos of conductors. It’s a bit long, but bear with it until at least 2:40 or so for a great line about the bass clarinet.

You may be relieved to learn that no conducting lesson I’m aware of ever went anything like this video…

In the real world, are most conductors out-of-control narcissists? You might be asking the wrong guy, but I don’t think so. (Although I also have a short list of colleagues who definitely fit that description. No, I won’t share the list.)

The surprising reality is that most young conductors find themselves urged to strengthen and amplify their “presence” or “charisma” as they begin their careers. Orchestral players sometimes talk about how they can size up a conductor before a single note is played, just by the way he or she walks to the podium and says hello. Naturally, when a young conductor hears that, he or she can end up focusing too much on how to walk to the podium instead of knowing the score and listening like crazy. (Listening like crazy might be the most important part of the job…)

Like all leaders, conductors need to convince large numbers of people to move in the same direction — but too often, conductors who try to project the confidence or charisma necessary to do that can end up seeming (or becoming) self-centered.

Business consultant Jim Collins (author of Good to Great) might have the solution with what he calls Level 5 Leadership. Level 5 Leaders “blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will.” Conductors would do well to embrace this model, focusing their intense professional will on:

1. revealing what is in the score;  and
2. supporting the confidence and creative possibilities of the orchestra’s musicians.

Of course, the extreme personal humility part of the Level 5 Leadership puzzle can be a tough nut to crack, especially if you’re the person who takes the bows right before and after the music. A good first step? Remember that the person with the baton isn’t making any of the sounds.

Conductor Colin Davis

Earlier this month, the renowned English conductor Colin Davis summed it up beautifully in an interview in The Guardian:

The less ego you have, the more influence you have as a conductor. And the result is that you can concentrate on the only things that really matter: the music and the people who are playing it. You are of no account whatever. But if you can help people to feel free to play as well as they can, that’s as good as it gets.

Words to live by. Or at least, to aspire to!