After over twenty years of having my butt in the chair of a major orchestra, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a Guest Conductor Formula. It goes like this:
- Program a piece that no orchestra has played.
- Program a very popular concerto.
- Program a major piece that is right in your wheelhouse and which is hard to screw up. (Most often this is Shostakovich 5th Symphony)
- Let the orchestra out early.
- Be nice.
It’s funny, because this is something our music director would never do, even at one of his guest gigs. I’m not sure what that means, but it means something. <winky face>
Any of you lifers out there got anything to add to this formula? Throw me a comment!