Music Director's Role and Responsibilities

In this video we'll look at your role and responsibility as a Music Director in Musical Theatre - what to be prepared for. Also some methods groups use to choose their next musical production.
This is part of a brand new course for aspiring Music Directors in Musical Theatre. Learn numerous techniques in getting the very best from your performers. What works and what doesn't work. We will look at Music Direction from start to finish. What does it take to become a confident music director, your roles and responsibilities, choosing productions for your group, marking up the score, leading singing rehearsals, working with principal actors, choosing audition pieces, the audition process, working with your production team, choosing a band or orchestra on a limited budget, conducting technique, working with musicians in your band, leading rehearsals, the band call, the technical rehearsal, the dress rehearsal and the performance itself.....what can go wrong and how to fix it.

[@malcolmmaclean9380]

One MD I work with in the pit, includes what he will beat for each entry when he sends the notes and cuts to the band. Simple but useful idea.

[@trumpetim7860]

Great resource mate! Love that you're bringing in your own personal experience. Just a technical note, the theme music at the start and end of the video seem much louder than your voice. Hearing the end of your lesson at an appropriate volume before the volume immediately rising with the theme song has me reaching quite quickly for the volume control.

[@malcolmmaclean9380]

As a rehearsal pianist for 30 years I've never had an MD have a proper meeting prior to rehearsals starting, useful though that would be ☹️

[@MusicDirectorOnline]

Hi Malcolm - Thats a pity, maybe you might delicately suggest it, then you're both as prepared as possible when rehearsals restart. A united and prepared music department !!

[@MusicDirectorOnline]

You could forward your MD a link to this video..... or maybe that's too obvious! haha

[@malcolmmaclean9380]

@@MusicDirectorOnline lol. I have not been a regular theatre rehearsal pianist for some time; choir and the odd standin for MD plus pit keyboards for show. Having moved back to home town of Blackpool I am hoping to get a regular gig and will definitely suggest it then. I do like the idea of not teaching all the music and then choreography.

[@TheMaestroCraig]

I can only think of one time it happened on a show I worked on professionally and it was very useful to have the whole music department on the same page as it were.
I've met with my rehearsal pianist before starting a few projects as MD but I would say I've thought about doing it more than actually having a meeting. The main reason for not doing it has been that I've not got the budget to make it a formal part of the process and I think it would be difficult getting the company to agree on a paid call. Having said all that though, in future I'm going to be more proactive in negotiating such a working meeting especially for complex scores.