Anybody who's ever played in an orchestra: how much attention are you paying to the conductor? Are you looking all the time, or only at key moments? Or are they just a pretty face? If you aren't paying attention to the conductor, what are the most important cues?
That's a lot. Feeling curious this evening.
@mattb mostly played in school.
My eyes had two jobs, read the music and watch the conductor. If I had memorized the music already, then I mostly stared at the conductor. Otherwise it might be 50/50, read ahead as much as I can while keeping pace.
The conductor is not much more than a metronome but without (or ignoring) that, I have been witness to a few runaway songs.
@mattb violinist who played in youth and non professional orchestras for quite a few years (grade 8) - a good orchestra only needs a conductor to start them off, unless the price is hairily complex, say, very abstract or John Williams (who’s music is fab but so complex).
When doing a pre-concert venue rehearsal conductor would regularly start us off and then walk to the back of the hall to listen to the balance of the music.
That said, I probably spent 25% of my time as lead second violin watching the conductor, and the remaining 75% looking at the music. In fact when paying in a duet I would often close my eyes to truly listen to my partner. But that’s just me.
You can’t spend too much time on the conductor because you probably don’t know the music off by heart.
@mattb I play in both professional and amateur orchestras, woodwinds, so at the back of the orchestra. I set my music stand at a height where I can read my part and see the conductor in the upper part of my periferal vision at the same time. So I don’t _look_ at them that often, but I _see_ them almost all the time.
If timing is tricky I look directly at the conductor and learn that bit by heart if necessary. Relying on hearing to stay together is dangerous because there is always some lag in the sound you hear in a big orchestra.
@mattb Choral musician here. We don't memorize our songs, so my eyes are split between conductor & music. Usually peripheral vision on the conductor suffices, because the gestures are big and most of then are predictable (the beats).
Seeing her is extra important for a few things. Two that come to mind right away are speed (tempo) changes, especially gradual ones, and when to end a held note (firmata) which kind of has no specific duration. (and for re-entering after a break with no specific duration as well)
There's also the occasional "give me more or less volume" (dynamics) that can be situational and you need to be watching for them (and understand whether it's your section/part that is indicated!)
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