Is being an orchestra conductor an easy profession, you ask? Many believe that all they do is wave their hands in front of the musicians, who then perform even the most complex pieces with ease and without difficulty. So why don’t we abolish them, and why do they instead enjoy fame and high salaries?

Conducting an orchestra is much more than just waving one’s hands in front of great professionals who, while knowing their craft well, cannot do everything on their own. Today, I want to highlight two great conductors, one 90 and the other 98, who are still conducting! The 90-year-old is Zubin Mehta, and the 98-year-old is (my absolute favorite) Herbert Blomstedt, both of whom currently have quite a busy schedule for the coming months.

One might say that if a 90-year-old and a 98-year-old can do it, it probably isn’t that difficult. The experience these great conductors have gained, and their seasoned yet fresh perspective on things, probably makes them unique. The job of a conductor with such experience is not what you might think, dear reader… it certainly isn’t about showing everything during the performance. However, it is the work they do in rehearsal and the way they explain their vision for the music that makes orchestras and their directors want to collaborate with these great individuals. It is this distillation of wisdom that they have the ability to instill in the orchestra they take under their wing. Ultimately, it’s about how much better they make the musicians with just one concert and the ideas they have for the music.

One only needs to listen to a recording or watch a live concert of such a conductor to understand how important their work is and how much effort they have put into shaping the musical work they conduct, remaining faithful to the composer and their ideas, and reconstructing the musical palace that is a composition.

Sometimes the tempos might be a little slower (I’ve seen a great but elderly conductor make a Beethoven symphony last at least 15 extra minutes), but what will enter your soul will be something greater than musical speed. You will have the opportunity to connect with the grand ideas of those who know. And that is the most satisfying thing you can imagine in your life for today…