Conductor Jobs

About This Music Career

Appropriately named, the Conductor is the leader of the orchestra, tasked with instructing and preparing his or her "team" for performance. Just as a coach trains athletes during daily practice sessions, a Conductor dedicates many hours to his or her orchestra, with the goal of presenting a flawless performance when the time comes – a job that is both physically and mentally demanding.

To maintain him or herself as a credible leader, the Conductor must be talented, charismatic, and as much of a showman as one would expect to see on any stage or on screen. However, it is not enough for the Conductor to be visually entertaining – he or she must be musically proficient with the piano and at least one other instrument.

Other Conductor responsibilities include planning the musical season in its entirety, choosing guests such as soloists, artists, or even other Conductors to round-out his or her orchestra as he or she sees fit. A Conductor's job may also require him to play the role of advisor, assisting section leaders during the section member selection process. In addition, as the face of an orchestra, the Conductor makes appearances at various orchestra fund-raising events and functions.

Perhaps the most important ability a Conductor must possess is his innate knack to engage in effective verbal communication at rehearsal, while doing just as good a job silently communicating through physical body movements during performance. One might make the assumption that a collection of instruments will produce the same sound, regardless of who is orchestrating - but that is not at all reality. The Conductor handles orchestra selection and range, making his or her decision as a result of orchestral score examination and study. This can be likened to an artist hand selecting his or her brush sizes and paint colors, canvassing a work of art that reflects his or her own personal style.

Salaries
In major orchestras, Conductors may earn up to $285,000 plus a year and there are a number of very well-known Conductors who earn $1,000,000 or more from live performances and recordings. In smaller orchestras, the Conductor may earn between $75 and $500 per engagement. Conductors negotiate their salaries with individual orchestras.

Employment
The field for Conductors is very limited. To begin as an Assistant Conductor, one must be granted an audition, and then must perform well enough against the competition to land the gig. Most Conductors work as musicians for years while studying to become Conductors. Not all Conductor positions are full-time, and many successful Conductors have their agents and/or managers who seek positions for them.

Advancement
The Conductor is the top position in an orchestra, so advancement comes from moving from one type of orchestra to another – for example, moving from a community orchestra to the position of assistant conductor in an urban orchestra. While advancement comes from being a great talent, there is also a large degree of luck involved as well.

Education and Training
Even if one has a doctoral degree in conducting, they are not guaranteed a job as a Conductor. To advance knowledge, summer seminars in conducting are extremely useful to those who wish to be Conductors. The best and most useful seminars are those which are led by world-renowned Conductors.

Experience, Skills, and Personality
Conducting chamber ensembles, small community orchestras, youth orchestras, and more give the opportunity for individuals to gain much needed experience. Also, most conservatories and music schools offer assistant programs where the student is given an opportunity to conduct. Tanglewood in Massachusetts offers summer seminars, allowing individuals a chance for conducting experience.

Unions and Associations
The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) or the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), are good associations for Conductors. If the Conductor plays an instrument, he or she should consider joining the AFM; and if the individual was a soloist, he or she might also belong to AGMA. With that said, many Conductors do not belong to either union.

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