Why do some rehearsals energize conductors while others drain them? Some rehearsals cry out for a celebration afterward; others induce headaches, anger, insomnia, and the like. What can conductors do when they experience periods of uncertainty and self-doubt before, during, or after rehearsals? By focusing inward, they often can find the resources needed to deal with not feeling right about certain aspects of their rehearsals, personal dynamics of rehearsals. Both have worked in this area prior to this collaboration.
Conductors, like other administrators of complex organizations, must communicate well with a number of people in a variety of situations. Administrators’ leadership skills, including interpersonal communication, are crucial to their effectiveness. Since choral ensembles include people who exhibit various personality characteristics, conductors face an additional challenge. Furthermore, aspects of managing an ensemble outside of rehearsal, such as planning, scheduling, interacting with staff members and dealing with conflict are relatively more or less difficult to accomplish, depending on the conductor’s personality type.
Ronald Richard Duquette says