The Conductor Actually Does WHAT?

A conductor is part traffic cop, part film director. The right hand sets tempo; the left shapes volume and color. Look closer and you’ll see cueing—tiny “please‑play‑now” flicks toward horns or singers. Off‑stage, the job is score study and people management. A section that drags in rehearsal may need an interpretive pep‑talk more than a louder beat. In short, the maestro turns a printed blueprint into a live, breathing skyline .