Mahler Festival Amsterdam 2025 Blog by Amsterdam’s well-informed circles. Sorted from old to new.
Blog
09-05-2025 Day 1 (Friday May 9, 2025)
- New composition by Anders Hillborg (1954). Commissioned by Mahler Foundation and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO)
10-05-2025 Day 2 (Saturday May 10, 2025)
- 10-05-2024 Mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska had to cancel for this concert. Guest programmer and accompanist Julius Drake has found a worthy replacement in mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor (small hall).
11-05-2025 Day 3 (Sunday May 11, 2025)
- Expected.
12-05-2025 Day 4 (Monday May 12, 2025)
- Expected.
13-05-2025 Day 5 (Tuesday May 13, 2025)
- Expected.
14-05-2025 Day 6 (Wednesday May 14, 2025)
- Expected.
15-05-2025 Day 7 (Thursday May 15, 2025)
- Expected.
- Expected.
16-05-2025 Day 8 (Friday May 16, 2025)
- Expected.
17-05-2025 Day 9 (Saturday May 17, 2025)
- Expected.
18-05-2025 Day 10 (Sunday May 18, 2025)
- Expected.
- Last concert of the Mahler Festival Amsterdam 2025.
The art of conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance, such as an orchestral or choral concert. It has been defined as “the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture.” The primary duties of the conductor are to interpret the score in a way that reflects the specific indications in that score, set the tempo, ensure correct entries by ensemble members, and “shape” the phrasing where appropriate. Conductors communicate with their musicians primarily through hand gestures, usually with the aid of a baton, and may use other gestures or signals such as facial expression and eye contact. A conductor usually supplements their direction with verbal instructions to their musicians in rehearsal.
The conductor typically stands on a raised podium with a large music stand for the full score, which contains the musical notation for all the instruments or voices. Since the mid-19th century, most conductors have not played an instrument when conducting, although in earlier periods of classical music history, leading an ensemble while playing an instrument was common. In Baroque music, the group would typically be led by the harpsichordist or first violinist (concertmaster), an approach that in modern times has been revived by several music directors for music from this period. Conducting while playing a piano or synthesizer may also be done with musical theatre pit orchestras. Communication is typically mostly non-verbal during a performance. However, in rehearsals, frequent interruptions allow the conductor to give verbal directions as to how the music should be played or sung.
Conductors act as guides to the orchestras or choirs they conduct. They choose the works to be performed and study their scores, to which they may make certain adjustments (such as in tempo, articulation, phrasing, repetitions of sections), work out their interpretation, and relay their vision to the performers. They may also attend to organizational matters, such as scheduling rehearsals, planning a concert season, hearing auditions and selecting members, and promoting their ensemble in the media. Orchestras, choirs, concert bands, and other sizable musical ensembles, such as big bands are usually led by conductors.