The low down on orchestra conductors...
- Emma Secomb
- Sep 22
- 2 min read
I think for many concertgoers the role of the conductor can seem mysterious and perhaps even be diminished to a version of "waving your arms around whilst the musicians do the actual work". Nothing could be further from the truth!
It could be argued, at least with the great orchestras, that for the performance itself the conductor is largely a ceremonial figure (I might cop some flack for that). But for all orchestras, great and small, how we get there and the quality of performance we reach is all about the conductor.
An orchestra is a complex organisation. There are all the different instruments and parts to balance, 50 different personalities and their expectations to manage, and in a community orchestra like ours there's also a high degree of variability in level of musical training (and practice time) that result from our different career paths.
The success of leading 50+ musicians to work within a shared interpretation of a complex piece of music is largely down to the quality of the relationship the conductor has with the orchestra and the skillset they bring to the rehearsal phase.
Conductors (of course) need a high level of musical training to interpret, memorise, and troubleshoot the score, as well as a highly trained ear to process all the different parts simultaneously then make refinements that can bring the orchestra closer to their vision for the work. The "arm waving" is important and conveys not only meter and tempo, but also dynamics, balance, and "in the moment" adjustments players might need to make. The audience doesn't get to see this, but there's also a lot of face making going on which can range from the hilarious to the terrifying!
For 2025 we've had the great good fortune to be led by three outstanding and unique conductors - Daniel Kossov, Mike Fitzpatrick, and Huw Jones. Each one has brought us fresh perspectives and stretched us as players in different ways, and we've made the decision to work with all of them again in our 2026 concert season. It promises to be another exciting year for Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra.
For our final concert this year "Summer Serenades" the wonderful Mike Fitzpatrick will lead us again. See you there!
