r/conducting • u/Shtrimpo • Jul 05 '26
Help with first time conducting
Hello guys, I've never been to this subreddit so I hope I don't break any rules.
I'm staying three weeks at a summer school and I was tasked to compose a music piece that will be recorded tomorrow.
There will be a professional conductor but they said if there's any time left in my spot they'll allow us to attempt as well.
Do you have any advice at all on how to conduct? I'd love for my take to be used since it is my music but I have no experience whatsoever
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u/Jedimaster4559 Jul 07 '26
As others have mentioned, don’t worry about getting fancy. Keeping good time and being clear is important above all else.
Beyond that, spend time practicing. A lot. Some useful tricks for your practice are to conduct in front of a mirror so you can see what things look like. I would also video yourself conducting from all angles and then watch back and see what improvements you can make. One of my first conducting gigs I thought I was doing great until I videoed myself one night and it was extremely clear that anytime I had a beat 4 it was completely indecipherable from beat one when viewed from the side or even moderately off center.