What to Expect

Conducting students are easy to spot in the classrooms and rehearsal halls around a university -- they're the ones front and center. Coming to the front of the class is part of the routine.

For Francesco Milioto, one of the biggest challenges in his conducting program was striking an important balance with his fellow students. He was their friend, but he still needed to command their respect as their conductor.

"You've got to get their respect," says Milioto. "It's tough when they're your colleagues, you're going to school with them. You've got to command their respect a different way."

Milioto holds a master of music degree in orchestral conducting. He says management skills are very important in a conducting degree. They help you not only to earn the respect of peers, but also to find work when you graduate.

"You've got to know how to handle the finances, how to talk to the marketing person. You have to have your hands in a lot more pots than just music," he says.

Milioto says many hours per week are spent studying, or preparing papers and presentations.

"It is a lot of research," says Merlyn Ahern. Ahern studied conducting at Washington University.

Ahern and Milioto both say that knowing the music is crucial. It's not like you have to know the music for just one instrument -- as a conductor, you're responsible for the entire orchestra.

How to Prepare

To help in reading music, Ahern says students should learn the piano. "I'd advise it -- at least you have to be able to read the piano parts," she says.

Milioto says conductors tend to grow comfortable with being the center of attention. He says listening skills develop as you begin to relax in the role.

"As you grow comfortable with the podium, your ears open," says Milioto. "You can finally hear all those little things you've been studying. You can hear the violist play that F sharp you circled. You can hear the second violinist come in."

Milioto says rehearsal is where an orchestra really takes shape.

"Go to the rehearsals of the orchestra near you. Learn, watch and see how people rehearse. Rehearsal is the most important part of the job -- performance is easy, if you can rehearse well," he says.