- People often ask me how do you develop
a good rapport with a conductor?
I've made a list of several don'ts.
First of all, don't talk back or disagree with a conductor.
In some orchestras, it's actually written into
your contract that you may not make
a comment of a negative kind to a conductor.
Don't look as if you disagree.
Even if you keep your mouth shut,
if you have negativity written all over your face
a conductor is going to see that
and not be particularly pleased.
Don't talk with your colleagues
while the conductor is talking.
Your behavior is noticed.
You must appear attentive and very involved.
Don't ask a question during a rehearsal
unless it is absolutely necessary.
A better strategy would be during the break
or right after the rehearsal has ended
to go and look at the score.
Don't apologize.
If you've done something wrong,
don't go up to a conductor after a rehearsal
or concert and say, "Gee, I'm so sorry."
The chances are that that person
might not have noticed what you did wrong.
And I should tell you that once
we were playing Bernstein's Dybbuk,
I believe, with the Rochester Philharmonic,
and at a party afterward David Zinman said to me,
"You made a mistake, but you looked so calm
that I thought that I was wrong."