Hopefully this guy is NOT appearing on a podium near you!
This week we’re working with a very pleasant guest conductor, the Austrian Christoph Campestrini, who wears a pretty unique apparel item for a conductor: the polo shirt.  They might be striped, solid colors, or in patterns.  I have not run into another conductor who wears polo shirts on the podium.  Thankfully, it’s not yet another black turtleneck!
Christoph Campestrini in his polo shirt
What else is on liable to see on the podium?  Our music director Carlos Kalmar is partial to t-shirts with festival and/or orchestra logos on them – I’m figuring he must have several dozen of them by now – the array keeps on growing.  He may soon get to the point where no shirt will be worn more than once per season in rotation!
The black turtleneck was once all the rage amongst young conductors, but they’ve tended more towards button-down oxfords lately.  Former OSO resident conductor Murry Sidlin used to have a conducting “smock” that he wore over a turtleneck or other shirt.  It literally looked like it might have been a more upscale artist’s over-shirt.  I think it was a grayish color.
James DePreist mostly wears what we call “Cosby” sweaters – thick knit, with large, bright patterns, and undoubtedly fine and expensive.  I would figure it would get hot conducting in one of those, but at the same time it must be very comfortable.
Word is that Gunther Schuller wore the same, disgusting shirt for entire runs of his festival or guest appearances – it must be some sort of superstition or something, but then again, maybe the shirt is moving his arms for him?
Aside from shirts, the other thing to watch for with conductors is their shoes.  They often have very nice shoes.  I’ve always thought that was because their feet were at the eye level of the audience and in plain view of most of the string section.  Neville Marriner is said to have the most exquisite taste in footwear in the conducting world.
4 replies on “conductor fashion”
Interesting article. Conductor apparel can be a compelling subject.
13 years ago in San Jose, Leonid Grin had five shirts, all exactly alike (a greenish-purple iridescent fabric in a button-down). This showed his sweat to best advantage. He changed during the break, and would reappear on the podium, magically sweat-free. It took awhile to figure out what was going on.
Ah, memories, Cameron! I remember, too, that we always saw his exposed belly with those (perhaps too short?) iridescent shirts.
Charles, I love your blog.
Thanks!