BE A CONDUCTOR!

Dear Rodinhoods, I am one of the newest members of this family, thanks to Alok for bringing me here. My hearty thanks to Asha and Darshan for the lovely welcome.

Since yesterday, I have been thinking how I can be a fruitful and meaningful part of this forum!! Should I talk about my early struggle days in the film / entertainment industry, or should I talk about the qualities one should develop to sustain in this competitive World (from my experience) or about – how one can make it big in the marketplace without selling his/her soul, heart and dignity. However, I considered “BE A CONDUCTOR” in a ‘Leadership’ category should be the first one. Here it goes:

If you have ever gone to a symphony concert or seen in movies, you will find one guy is constantly moving hands standing infront of the whole orchestra. Many people in India don’t understand what he does and why he is there. Well, that man is the most important musician in the whole orchestra and he is called the Conductor. If you look closely, you will notice, the conductor never makes a sound, not a single note. But, he is the leader and the pillar of the whole ensemble. If he goes wrong the whole team will go wrong, if he goes well, so the team will. 

A conductor doesn’t make a slightest sound in the concert; still he holds the power to move all the 50,100,150,200 or even 300 musicians (the ensemble). What he does and how does he do that??? 

A conductor first, studies the particular piece, which the orchestra is going to perform. Say Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Alok’s favourite. The conductor has to go through each and every part (score) of each and every instrument and voice.

There are 4 different instruments in a ‘Chamber Structure’, Violin (1st and 2nd), Viola, Cello and Double Bass, sometimes Harp, but for Symphony, it’s bigger. In an early Symphony orchestra structure, during Classical period (17th to 18th century), there were 12 different instruments, which include the ‘Chamber Strings’ sections as well as the ‘Woodwind, Brass and Percussion’ section. Later, it gone up to 20-above instruments by Romantic period (early 18th to early 19th century) and reached around 35 different instruments by Modern period (20th – 21st century). Most of the new adding was in percussion section, also few in Woodwind and Brass sections (not electronic). Now you see, all these instruments have totally separate notation in the particular piece (composition) and also divided in 4 different musical languages (Clef), Treble, Alto, Tenor and Bass.

The same goes for the voices. The conductor must know each and every detail about these individual instruments, based on 4 different clefs. All these individual instruments, whether it is Violin, Flute, Horn or Timpani, they all have their individual ‘Dynamics’ (Expression could be based on volume modulation).

When these all individuals are accurately harmonized, blended and synchronized by the conductor, then the ensemble can produce a great performance. Hold on, the conductor has a bit more pressure to take. He needs to interpret the story of the piece, which was composed by a man, who is no more, but, the audience and critics going to judge and determine whether the interpretation was accurate or not.

After doing his thorough study on the particular piece, the conductor instructs every instrument and voice sections how he wants the composition to be performed staying in the unbreakable structure of the composer. Once he is done with each and every section, he takes it with combined ensemble and matches with the performance going on his mind since he has fixed his mind with his interpretation of the story of the composition. He keeps fine tuning the orchestra until they match accurately with the show going on in his mind. Then, they go on to the stage and deliver a masterpiece with PERFECTION.

Our very own Zubin Mehta mesmerized the learned audience when he just passed out from Vienna with his own interpretation of a particular piece and won the International Conducting Competition in Liverpool in 1958.

You must be thinking, Michael is giving us music history and classical music lesson, but nothing on leadership. Well, you see, it requires more than one great quality to be a great leader.

Today, I am talking about the quality, which this generation is lacking very badly and that is, COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ONE’S SUBJECT. If you want to be a great leader you must have the complete knowledge about the subject you will handle, there is no room for GUESSING or SPOT LEARNING in such a speedy competitive World. My father used to say, “Half knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge”. I completely agree with my Dad and urge the future leaders of any field, whether in corporate, engineering, medicine, advertising, music, sport or film; you must be COMPLETE on your platform, before you take the baton to lead the ensemble.

A conductor knows everything about the particular piece, instruments and also about the dead poet, which is much more than any musician of his ensemble. You ask and he has the answer, you come up with problem and he already has the solution. That is what a great leader should be in the first place. And, that don’t come easily, it takes honest and zealous effort to achieve such COMPLETENESS as a conductor and be the LEADER of 200 piece (members) Symphony Orchestra and give a FLAWLESS Performance in one chance.

Don’t just be happy of knowing what you need for the temporary assignment; strive to be totally ‘Complete’ on your field. TARGET PERFECTION –  BE A CONDUCTOR.     

Have a Melodious Weekend Leaders, God Bless!! 

Michael Makhal