The role of the Conductor

I don't think I understand your question, but I do...kinda get where you're coming from, I guess?

I've seen great conductors (Kimberly Grigsby, despite all the negative comments about her methods), poor conductors (Todd Ellison, who I've seen text messaging during Spamalot), great conductors who look bored (Paul Gemignani), and conductors who just feel the music, but are too wrapped up in their own world to realize that the front row is blocked from their arms flailing (Kevin Stites).

About tempos, I think it's a matter of the performer, not the conductor. When I saw The Producers early in its run (2001), the show took a solid 3 hours to get through. When I saw it towards the end of it's run (Dec. 2006), the show took a solid 2:30. Same with LuPone in Gypsy...LuPone rushed through some of the songs so quickly you blinked and it was over. I can't imagine that being Pat Vacariello's choice.

"isn't there technology that could provide a consistent and agreed upon tempo for each and every performance? A simple blinking light in view of the conductor that could serve like a metronome?"

A lot of people (myself included) would argue that this would take a lot of the life out of the music. There's a fine line between consistent and robotic.

"If the orchestra has been well rehearsed and they have been playing the same score why would the conductor need to do that on a daily basis? Musicians are artists too. It's not like the director of the show is there on a daily basis to "conduct" the actors."

Two-parter answer here. First, technically, part of the stage-manager and dance captain's jobs are to help keep the show fresh. In effect, doing what a conductor does. Second, the musician's union is pretty open to pit musicians subbing out, so on any given performance it's likely that there will be at least one musician who was not part of the rehearsal process and may be playing the music for the first time.

Also, the conductor is not just directing the orchestra, he or she is also the liaison between the singers and the orchestra. If the soloist decides to take a little liberty with the song, the conductor has to make sure that the orchestra keeps in time with the soloist and that the over-all musicality of the song has a consistency (for instance...if a soloist decides to milk the bridge going into an instrumental break, the conductor may ease the tempo back up as opposed to just switching back to the original tempo which could completely break the moment the soloist just created).

Okay...guess that was a three parter:)

PS...great question

Updated On: 8/28/07 at 12:34 PM

Sorry, but the real truth is that when you have musicians in the pit who are worth anything, the conductor is no more than a glorified first-base coach.

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The conductor is in charge of the tempos, not the singers.
Ms. LaPone is probably in charge of everything.

Updated On: 8/28/07 at 01:40 PM

Perhaps it's an opinion, but it's an opinion based from my experiances.


You can't possibly tell me that an entire pit orchestra can keep the correct dynamics, time signatures, ritards, fermatas, tempos, rests, accents, and vamps, the same every night without a conductor.

Updated On: 8/28/07 at 01:47 PM

I thought this thread was going to be about the Train Conductor in THE MUSIC MAN.

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After seeing her work in GREASE, I think Kim Grigsby should make an aerobics workout video for conductors.

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Funny, Foster, I said that after I saw her conduct 2 Gentlemen of Verona.

It makes me tired just thinking about it.

i've personally never seen Kim Grigsby, but based on her desctiptions she sounds a lot like Alex Lacamoire who've ive seen conduct several times (a couple at Wicked and at Feeling Electric at NYMF in 05). He is VERY High energy when he conducts and did draw my attention at times, but never to the point of distraction. He is clearly into what he's doing and enjoying his job, which i think makes for a better performance and a higher likely hood to get a great performance from one's orchestra.


on an unrelated note, Alex is a very nice man. I had the pleasure of speaking to him during intermission at wicked the two times i saw him conduct (I was sitting in lottery seats) very personable and genuine man.

He does it twice, BroadwayEnthusiast2. Once before "The Woman's Dead" and once before "Kansasland".

I've conducted and played in pits before (not professionally) and a few times certain pieces of technology are used. A conductor will more often or not wear headphones so he can keep in contact with stage manager and other technical crew members. Every so often there will be conductors with a metronome (Beat keeping device) system included in the head phone device and several players (most likely keyboard) will have them too. This of course makes sure the beat is consistent each night.
I know for a fact that almost every player in the LB band wears headphones. I no of a lot of shows that are long or sung-through have them too.

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Grigsby is a little distracting, but I don't remember her going crazy durring Piazza when I sat near the orchestra pit, except in Aiutami. Again, that was in a pit and I could barely see exactly what she was doing. She was distracting in Spring Awakening, and certainly in Grease. However, I found her dancing in Grease to be more entertaining than Kathleen Marshall's.