TYPES OF MUSIC DIRECTORS

Music directing is not an easy task and it takes a lot of commitment especially when you are not paid or in a church where leadership doesn't appreciate your efforts. Your patience is tested most of the time and you keep on wondering whether your life's purpose is to be disturbed and infuriated. We have different kinds of music directors and how each of them respond to choristers' or instrumentalists' behaviour at rehearsal or a performance.

1. The Funny and Jovial One

There is that kind of conductor who will always make you laugh till you lose breathe. In fact, they are the reason why you would always want to be at rehearsal. But don't be mistaken; they are the ones who live the most lonely and depressed lives. At rehearsal, they see the musician as their happiness and always make their musicians laugh.

2. The With a Music Score Database in His Brain

I don't know how they do it, but some music directors can keep a whole symphony in mind with all its dynamics and modulations. It is almost useless to put a score before them. Some music directors can even teach a whole four-part harmony without a score and will teach every accidental correctly. I even find it difficult to keep the tenor part of Hallelujah chorus in mind.

3. The One Who Wants You to Repeat a Phrase a 100 times

Yes. These ones really exist and are sincerely annoying. But it is actually for the best. No music director wants his choristers/orchestra to go and sing/play nonsense on the day of performance. And you should expect more of this if the music director is the composer of the piece. If he added accompaniment, dear pianist, please play exactly as you see.

4. The One Who Gets Angry at every Mistake

Some music directors are just too allergic to the slightest errors. A note sang or played wrong is like a bee stinging them. Know that you are in trouble when you are caught messing the piece.

5. The One who doesn't Know Time

"Who the hell said it's time?" The popular phrase during rehearsals. Don't ever dare stop a music director at rehearsals to tell him or her it's time. There could be serious consequences

6. The Confused One

There is also the music director who gets confused when he or she hears harmony, fugue or a call and response for a reason no one knows except the everlasting King in heaven. During performances, the musicians end up being the conductors of the piece being performed.

7. The Womanizer

Oops! I just stepped on some toes. These ones just lack the discipline to shun the flirting suggestions of some of the choristers (the ladies please). You can't blame them entirely.

8. The Proud-for-Nothing One

There is another group of music directors who think they are omniscient. Normally, we just look at them and allow them to lavish in their folly and ignorance so that they can continue to be laughing stocks. It's better to have loads of knowledge and be proud than to be an empty barrel.

9. The Multi-Talented

There is that music director who can play almost all instruments perfectly, sing all the parts, conduct and play the keyboard simultaneously (like Addaquay, the one man orchestra).

Okay, so these are the prominent ones I can talk of now. You can add yours in the comment section. See ya....