ABSTRACT
Any leadership hinges on some type and level of authority. While the conductor role appears to be based on traditional authority (in the Weberian sense), it is better construed as functional authority—its legitimacy arises from the needs of the music and the ensemble. In addition to the authority associated with the role, conductors may also earn authority through the way in which they enact leadership—that is, through mastery. Authority which is awarded by followers has been categorised as charismatic. The concept of charisma is unavoidable as well as problematic in the context of leadership, and the encounter between conductor and choir sheds new light on some of these issues.
