THE YESP QUESTION:

”They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel…”

Kristofer Wåhlander conductor and founder of the St. Petersburg Festival Symphony Orchestra spoke to Madeleine Eltonius at yesP on the meaning of leading passion with passion.

The above quote by Carl Buechner refers not only to an audience but also to the orchestra itself.  While most corporate leaders struggle to instill passion in their workforce, the conductor manages it in abundance. The trick is to create a sense of esprit de corps. Not an easy task when so much individual talent is at play.

“Above all: Preparation. It’s essential to have clear insight of your own contribution and (desired) performance. The most challenging aspect of a conductors work is the unification of hundred of gifted musicians to arrive at an integral performance. It is a very direct leadership where a decision has immediate effect. Poor preparation is very obvious and the consequence affects the entire organization - the orchestra.”

Kristofer himself is very well prepared for his chosen profession, cuddling a guitar rather than a teddy bear at the age of two. His passion for music and knack for conducting took him from the south of Sweden to western Russia via northern England. A journey he still embarks upon today, working with some of the top orchestras in Europe.

Preparations aside, although shifting through hundreds of pages of instrumental intricacies can be daunting, the real work lies in conveying enthusiasm and conviction.

“One of my own driving forces is to be able to move an audience, stir feelings and energize. I can only accomplish that if I have the orchestra with me. As a conductor you have to encourage the orchestra. You have to set and maintain the tone. Try to connect with the musicians and don’t get too wrapped up in your own performance. You have to give, then take.”

How much individualism can orchestral players afford?

“There is certainly room for individual performances. To challenge your craft, give that little bit of extra and not play formally by the book, more than often makes a better orchestra. It’s very rare that a talented musician’s passion delivers a bad performance.”

Does it happen that players try to upstage each other?

“Absolutely! Like most healthy competition it drives the integral performance forward. It only turns for the worse if a player stops listening to his fellow musicians and looses his pace. But that rarely happens since most musicians take great pride in being very good listeners.”

It is not uncommon that the conductor tries to outshine his players. That his passion and impulse is the sole focal point. But as the Kristofer puts it: There is no sound in the stick. It is only combined contributions that gives result.”

What are the essential criteria in establishing your credibility?

“Preparation and passion. It varies from orchestra to orchestra, from player to player. But never try to be liked by everyone, you might just end up being disliked by all. Chemistry can’t be conducted, but by being thoroughly prepared for the job at hand and brave enough to let your passion set the pace, you gain a lot of respect.”

Karajan* once said that there are two places where democracy is not helpful: in music and in the army. Do you agree?

“In a way I do. Ironically the Berlin Philharmonics is today an entirely democratic organization. But since the orchestra has to convey the vision of the conductor’s interpretation of the composer, there is little room and time for compromise at rehearsals. Considering that an orchestra elects their own conductor, it is already democratic in a sense. I think a lot of corporate leaders would gasp at the idea of an electing process by their employees.”

Apart from his day job Kristofer is also a requested speaker at corporate events. His take on leadership, performance and vision has a different and fascinating approach.

In the corporate world we’re all driven by different motives. But in the world of music it’s easy to assume that all musicians share the same passion and motives, music. Is it so?

“It sure isn’t money. It rarely pays well to be a musician. Music is key but the drive for accomplishment and acknowledgement can also be a strong motivating factor. To be an imperative part in something grander than your own performance is very stimulating”.

In your opinion what is the greatest lesson corporations can learn from the musical world in sense of leadership, passion and motivation?

“I’m always cautious as not to give lessons since I believe it is always a two way learning process. I think there is a lot of mutual learning to be done between both worlds. My advice to myself is always to be well prepared, to listen empathetically and to trust my own conviction and passion. Perhaps that is useful for anyone else.”

Kristofer Wahlander contact information:

www.kristoferwahlander.com

www.skillspartner.com

* Herbert von Karajan 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. Most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years. He is generally considered to have been one of the greatest conductors of all time.

- Wikipedia.