Starting Your Music Conducting Journey as a Teenager

If you're a teenager with a passion for music and a desire to explore conducting, this guide will help you get started. Here's everything you need to know to embark on this exciting journey!

Building Your First Ensemble

To begin, get together with at least five of your friends. Strings are ideal, but you can also make do with what you have. Start with Mozart's works, as their simplicity provides a great foundation. The key is to help your players understand the character of the music beyond just tempo. Is it masculine or feminine, mature or youthful, a song, dance, or a march? Understanding these elements is where a skilled conductor begins.

Mastering the Art of Conducting

Once you have a basic understanding, it's time to focus on feeling the phrasing in the music, achieving a perfect balance between the main and subordinate parts, and recognizing the small nuances that make music feel human and not merely mechanical. These elements will elevate your performance and engagement with the ensemble.

Enhancing Your Skills

While age shouldn't be a barrier, you should also work on improving your own skills. Master your instrument by playing in ensembles and aiming for the highest standard possible. Conducting is challenging when you try to lead an ensemble beyond what you can do yourself.

Learning the Piano

Knowing how to play the piano is extremely advantageous. It will help you read more than one line at once and think about harmony, balance, and texture in ways that single-line instrument players might not consider. However, it's not just about the piano; learning to sing is also beneficial. It not only helps you communicate with your musicians but also trains your ear to recognize small differences in pitch and tuning.

Studying Musical Scores

Deepen your understanding by studying scores. Learn how music is composed and structured; how musical forms work, and how a piece is put together. Experiment with different arrangements of instruments to understand their interactions better.

Listening to Great Performances

Coupled with studying scores, listening to high-quality performances can provide invaluable insights. Analyze how conductors approach their interpretations, and compare different recordings to see what makes them unique. This will help you develop your own style and preference.

Leadership Roles in Ensemble and Chamber Groups

To further develop your skills, take on leadership roles in chamber groups. Whether you play strings, woodwinds, or any other instrument, organizing rehearsals, picking music, and leading the ensemble can provide immense benefits. Most importantly, as a conductor, you should be the one counting in and leading the music. After each performance, engage in discussions about how to improve and contribute to the improvement process.

Leading Sectional Rehearsals

If the larger ensembles you play in ever rehearse in sectionals, volunteer to lead. This experience will count as relevant experience and demonstrate your leadership skills.

Preparing for Opportunities

This isn't a sequential list; you can work on many things simultaneously, and there are numerous other things you can do to enhance your skills. Successful conductors often rely on luck, but preparing diligently and gaining significant experience can significantly increase your chances of landing amateur conducting positions or securing a place on a conducting course.

With time and dedication, you can put yourself in a position to apply for opportunities as they arise or to enter conducting courses. Good luck on your musical journey!