| . | THE CONDUCTOR Young People's Concerts  The Conductor is the most visible member of the orchestra. The orchestra is like a team, and the conductor acts as the leader. He or she keeps the players together by waving a stick, called a baton, in a certain pattern, or beat, in the right hand. The conductor uses his or her left hand, face and body to give the orchestra signals about tempo (how fast or slow to play), when to start and stop, and when to get softer or louder. The conductor chooses the music and decides how it should be played. The conductor reads a score which shows every instrument's part. Being a conductor is a very complicated job, and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to do it. -- Biography of Conductor Michael Morgan |
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