As long as there are myths around what a conductor actually does, an important part of classical music will seem mysterious to many people. So let’s get cracking and demystify the nuts-and-bolts of what conductors actually do. At a basic level conducting is very simple. It keeps an orchestra or a choir in time and together. But that’s just the starting point. Most importantly a conductor serves as a messenger for the composer. It is their responsibility to understand the music and convey it through gesture so transparently that the musicians in the orchestra understand it perfectly.
