Look up from the score

As a beginner conductor you often want to look down at your score the entire time. You’ll want to make sure you know where you are and can see everything that’s in the music.

But avoid that as best you can.

Glance down at your score when you need to, or when you have to turn the page.

Most of the time you’re conducting you should be looking up at the musicians.

And they’ll play better too.

I used to have a habit of doing this until I noticed that whoever I was directing would play (or sing) so much better when I was looking at them. It tells them that you’re listening and paying attention to them. I also shows them that you know the music well enough to not be stuck to the score.

This requires some focused score study so that you’re able to do it. It also requires that you can take in multiple pieces of the score quickly. When you glance down at the score try to remember a few measures ahead, then glance down again when you need to. Get as much musical information in those small glances as you can so that you can spend most of your time looking at the musicians in front of you.

They’ll play better too.

ISJ