Adaptistration: Orchestra Governance: The Music Director

The function of the Music Director (who also serves as the ensemble's primary conductor) is to provide artistic direction for the orchestra. They usually make the final decisions regarding programming issues and their interpretation of how the music will be performed is final. Some music directors are residents within their community and conduct the majority of "Masterworks" concerts. Others divide their time between several orchestras with a principal residence in one community while some even reside overseas. In the latter cases they tend to have less involvement in artistic programming and conduct fewer concerts. In each community, the music director is expected to be involved in non-artistic activities, such as fundraising events, outreach initiatives, and all artistic managerial duties such as approving musician leave requests and initiating artistic review procedures.

To give you an idea of the status this individual retains in the orchestra world, take the following example: 50 years ago the music director had the authority to hire and fire any player at will for any artistic reason subject only to their opinion. Patrons adored them and thought saw them as the definitive voice on all issues related to orchestral classical music, thus was born the concept known as "The Cult of The Conductor".

In order to become a music director individuals must ideally possess an encompassing knowledge of every instrument in an orchestra, be able to read everyone's part simultaneously, and have a gift beyond the ordinary for interpretation of the music the orchestra performs. The music director is tasked with the responsibility for ensuring the artistic success and quality of the orchestra. They also have the authority to discipline any of the musicians for artistic reasons provided they are founded. They also hold significant power with regard to awarding tenure or dismissing any new musicians. At auditions they usually hold a weighted vote in the final decision.

In the realm of organizational governance, they typically hold considerable influence over the board and members of the executive management. They are also the highest paid member of the entire organization.

Music directors are not represented by the AFM or any other labor union. Once they can afford one, they typically hire personal representation from a prestigious talent firm. They are more closely aligned with the American Symphony Orchestra League since their role as artistic director is more in step with executive management. Most belong to the ASOL as paid members.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Good: A good music director is worth their weight in gold. The great conductors of the past live on in name and memory for decades after their passing. They single-handedly posses a gift almost beyond perception regarding their ability to understand and transform music into an experience that transcends simple listening. They are energetic, outgoing individuals that are entrenched members of their communities and sought after guests for social events. They are indispensable tools for orchestra fund-raisers and are the public voice and face of the organization. They acquire respect and admiration from their musicians by creating a fulfilling artistic work environment and they care for their well being and treat them as artistic equals.

Bad: Simply take everything above and imagine the opposite. Music directors are easily corrupted into becoming status seeking, power hungry tyrants. They demand salaries that border on the obscene compared to the base musician and take no active interest in fund-raising or public relations. Bad music directors take no interest in musicians or consider their needs or opinions as important.

Ugly: A music director that has succumbed to a "god" complex will cripple an orchestra to such a degree that any attempt to grow another ensemble out of the ashes is nearly impossible. They can drive their players to mental and physical breakdowns using verbal abuse and consider orchestra patrons as nothing more than an uneducated heard of ticket buying cows there to do nothing but admire their greatness. They are unwilling to compromise their personal artist vision to the reality of budgets and willingly drive an orchestra into bankruptcy so long as it furthers their career.

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