Having seen the strange and circuitous route I've taken so far, Act 2 of this presentation is about looking at ideas for how to make progress a bit more straightforward. What can you do to get your first conducting opportunities?
But, the first thing to look at is: what are the barriers to entry? What are the factors that mean that, however good or bad a conductor someone might be, what are the things that can stop you even getting a look-in at the initial entry level opportunities with professional organisations?
But, the first thing to look at is: what are the barriers to entry? What are the factors that mean that, however good or bad a conductor someone might be, what are the things that can stop you even getting a look-in at the initial entry level opportunities with professional organisations?
The Barriers
There's Usually Only One Conductor
Obvious, but crucial in this matter. In almost all other performance jobs, there are more junior versions of the job that a young person can take on, learn the ropes, and gradually move through the ranks of seniority. In a string section, your first job might be a rank-and-file job, then you apply for a front desk job at a slightly less prestigious orchestra, then you apply for principal of somewhere else. Or with singers, if you're an ambitious young soprano, you can take the role of Maid No 3 and impress everyone with your small solo, and gradually work your way up to Tosca. With the role of conducting, you are either 100% 'it', or 100% not 'it'. When you are 100% not 'it', it's very difficult to reassure people that you can do 'it'.
The exception to this is opera, where there is usually a Conductor and an Assistant Conductor. As such, this makes opera quite a good forum to start looking for entry-level opportunities. The reason opera productions tends to have the two roles rather than one is that the studio rehearsals with the singers in most major houses tend to be between four and six weeks full time. Getting high-profile conductors to commit to that period of time in rehearsals without getting performance fees is impossible, so houses usually grant the conductor 'NAs' to go off and conduct a symphonic concert somewhere else for a few days. In this time, the Assistant Conductor holds the fort, keeps a track of what has been established in production rehearsals and catches-up the main conductor when s/he returns.
Obvious, but crucial in this matter. In almost all other performance jobs, there are more junior versions of the job that a young person can take on, learn the ropes, and gradually move through the ranks of seniority. In a string section, your first job might be a rank-and-file job, then you apply for a front desk job at a slightly less prestigious orchestra, then you apply for principal of somewhere else. Or with singers, if you're an ambitious young soprano, you can take the role of Maid No 3 and impress everyone with your small solo, and gradually work your way up to Tosca. With the role of conducting, you are either 100% 'it', or 100% not 'it'. When you are 100% not 'it', it's very difficult to reassure people that you can do 'it'.
The exception to this is opera, where there is usually a Conductor and an Assistant Conductor. As such, this makes opera quite a good forum to start looking for entry-level opportunities. The reason opera productions tends to have the two roles rather than one is that the studio rehearsals with the singers in most major houses tend to be between four and six weeks full time. Getting high-profile conductors to commit to that period of time in rehearsals without getting performance fees is impossible, so houses usually grant the conductor 'NAs' to go off and conduct a symphonic concert somewhere else for a few days. In this time, the Assistant Conductor holds the fort, keeps a track of what has been established in production rehearsals and catches-up the main conductor when s/he returns.
Arts Organisations are Incredibly Risk-Averse
All major orchestras and opera houses have long lists of established conductors who they've worked with before, who they know are good enough, and who do not present a risk in booking them. Given how many safe options they have, why would they take a punt on someone they don't know, and who could be brilliant, but equally could be a catastrophe? The people whose job it is to hire conductors for operatic and orchestral contracts often do not want to trust their own judgement alone; if they think an untried young conductor looks good and they offer them a contract, what if s/he turns out to be a disaster? That responsibility is on the person who thought they were good and booked them. That's why they always want to see you having done the job somewhere else already, that you have received the endorsement of someone whose opinion they trust, and only then will they begin thinking about what low-risk opportunity they could offer you. But how can you 'have done it somewhere else already' if no-one is willing to take the first risk with you?
All major orchestras and opera houses have long lists of established conductors who they've worked with before, who they know are good enough, and who do not present a risk in booking them. Given how many safe options they have, why would they take a punt on someone they don't know, and who could be brilliant, but equally could be a catastrophe? The people whose job it is to hire conductors for operatic and orchestral contracts often do not want to trust their own judgement alone; if they think an untried young conductor looks good and they offer them a contract, what if s/he turns out to be a disaster? That responsibility is on the person who thought they were good and booked them. That's why they always want to see you having done the job somewhere else already, that you have received the endorsement of someone whose opinion they trust, and only then will they begin thinking about what low-risk opportunity they could offer you. But how can you 'have done it somewhere else already' if no-one is willing to take the first risk with you?
The Way Contracts Are Allocated
In the UK at least, the way jobs are given out is not transparent. There is no job advertisement for 'Conductor of La Traviata at The Royal Opera House', followed by an application and audition process.* Almost all jobs - both quasi-permanent and short-term contracts - are offered by invitation, with no formal and observably meritocratic process attached. So how do you get these invitations? It is not clear - and this is the overall topic of Act 2; how to maximise your chances of getting these offers.
Overall, this system is, I think, a big problem and is wildly susceptible to completely inappropriate people (who happen to have an established profile) getting work that they do not care about and do really rather badly, when there is a queue of people who could have been chosen who would have done it objectively far better. However, since this is the game, this is the one we must play.
* in other countries, especially Germany, permanent conducting posts such as Kapellmeisters in opera houses, and Chef Dirigent positions are advertised and auditioned, because of the way the arts sector is structured and paid, essentially as a wing of government. Contracts for Guest Conductors conducting individual productions are still offered by invitation in Germany. In the UK, usually 'learning roles' and young artist schemes are advertised and auditioned in this way, but never the kinds of work that these schemes hope you will be learning about, if you see what I mean.
In the UK at least, the way jobs are given out is not transparent. There is no job advertisement for 'Conductor of La Traviata at The Royal Opera House', followed by an application and audition process.* Almost all jobs - both quasi-permanent and short-term contracts - are offered by invitation, with no formal and observably meritocratic process attached. So how do you get these invitations? It is not clear - and this is the overall topic of Act 2; how to maximise your chances of getting these offers.
Overall, this system is, I think, a big problem and is wildly susceptible to completely inappropriate people (who happen to have an established profile) getting work that they do not care about and do really rather badly, when there is a queue of people who could have been chosen who would have done it objectively far better. However, since this is the game, this is the one we must play.
* in other countries, especially Germany, permanent conducting posts such as Kapellmeisters in opera houses, and Chef Dirigent positions are advertised and auditioned, because of the way the arts sector is structured and paid, essentially as a wing of government. Contracts for Guest Conductors conducting individual productions are still offered by invitation in Germany. In the UK, usually 'learning roles' and young artist schemes are advertised and auditioned in this way, but never the kinds of work that these schemes hope you will be learning about, if you see what I mean.
So that's what's stopping you. As you can see, most of this is completely out of your control. Wouldn't it be nice if there were some short cuts so you didn't have to work through these blockages to access? You're in luck - there are! (but please, moderate your expectations)