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Haitink Master Class!

Posted: Saturday | 04.10.10

Haitink’s Master Class!
Conducting Workshops at the Royal College of Music, London

Brahms Symphony No. 3 in F-Major

Bernard Haitink is one the most celebrated conductors of our time. For more than 25 years he led the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as its music director. In addition, he has been music director of the Dresden Staatskapelle, the Royal Opera Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, and the London Philharmonic. With an international conducting career spanning more than five decades he has conducted most of the leading orchestras of the world.

It is, of course, wonderful that world-class performers take the time to pass on their knowledge and experience to a new set of musicians who will lead performances in future years. And also, this knowledge transfer is a whole lot more than just the technical stuff.

In the video clip below, Bernard Haitink works with six student conductors and the orchestra of the Royal College of Music in London on all four movements of Brahms’ Symphony No 3. Haitink imparts not only his profound insight into the symphony, but also shares with the students a lifetime’s experience of conducting. Note how Haitink emphasizes the conductor’s role as an orchestra’s *leader*! See how he encourages the young conductor to use his body more in conveying what the conductor wishes to have the players express. Yet one can also see Haitink’s humbleness, when he takes over to demonstrate (“Perhaps I cannot do it as as well…”. The whole thing is quite an inspiration, really!