Early in my career, my teacher passed the definition of conducting to me, as it was to him from his teacher, and from his teacher before that. Conducting is the communication of musical ideas through silent gesture. Each time I revisit this phrase, I find it exceedingly elegant in its simplicity. It streamlines the mechanics of conducting, simultaneously leaving space for all the other things that we sense are happening, though are not easily determined.

The musicians on stage have different vantage points from what the audience sees and experiences in any performance. Audiences see the hands guiding and shaping the sound, while the musicians watch the conductor’s eyes....looking for facial expressions, if you will, that tell us we are on the right path or have ventured astray. (We do watch the hands too, but most of us are loath to admit it!)

A friend asked me, “Does a conductor really make a difference?” She said that unless she was listening to a major symphony versus a local one, the only thing she focused on was the piece of music.  Was it pleasing to her?  I think that is what most of us would say.  

The Spartanburg Philharmonic is deeply grateful to Dr. Cabe Loring for his years of dedication and leadership on our Board of Directors. Cabe has been part of the Philharmonic family since 2018, and his steady guidance and passion for our mission have made a lasting impact.