What a conductor actually does on stage

Its more than just dancing around. Subscribe to our channel If youve ever seen an orchestra perform youve probably had a difficult time looking away from the person dead center on the stage the conductor. Its hard to miss someone as they swing their arms around pointing at the musicians that seem to be focused instead on their music stands. So what exactly is the conductor doing We decided to ask James Gaffigan a conductor who recently guest conducted the New York Philharmonic in Central Park just what it is that makes a conductor so necessary and how their actions shape the performance. is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what s really driving the events in the headlines. Check out Watch our full video catalog: Follow Vox on Facebook: Or Twitter: