Anna Vilenskaja lecture: “Who Invented Conductors and What Are They Actually Paid For?”

“Who invented conductors and what are they actually paid for?” Most people understand that a conductor is not simply paid to wave a baton during a concert. But what do they actually do for conducting to be considered such a difficult and highly regarded profession? How does a conductor help an orchestra rehearse when the orchestra already consists of professional musicians? Who was the first professional conductor in history? Does a conductor have their own style, and how can it be recognised? We will discuss all this in the lecture.