In Good Hands: The Making of a Modern Conductor (Paperback) - Alice Farnham

'Alice Farnham's insightful book is an inspirational tool, even for those of different disciplines.' CATE BLANCHETT

'Will fascinate and enthrall anyone interested in music.' Stephen Fry

Who dreams of becoming a conductor?

What does it take to get there and stay in the game?

In Good Hands: The Making of a Modern Conductor invites us to think anew about one of the signature roles in classical music.

In a frank, fascinating portrait, Alice Farnham, one of Britain's leading conductors, explores what modern conducting really entails, and what it takes to lead, unite and inspire people.

'Takes readers behind the scenes of the eccentric world of classical music.' Guardian

'Conducting, Alice Farnham writes, is an "elusive art". Her book, part memoir and part study of the craft, pins it down . . . Accessible [and] engaging.' Matthew Giley, New Statesman

'Alice Farnham's enchanting blend of insight, experience, musical understanding, sparkling good sense and intelligence brings alive and demystifies what it is to be a conductor.' Stephen Fry

'Alice Farnham's insightful book is an inspirational tool.' Cate Blanchett

About the Author

Alice Farnham is listed in the Classic FM Today's Ten Best Women Conductors and in the BBC Woman's Hour Music Power List.
Recent engagements include concerts with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, and Southbank Sinfonia. She has been a Guest Conductor on productions at Royal Opera House, Mariinsky Theatre, Calgary Opera, Folkoperan Stockholm, Wermlands Opera Karlstad, Grange Park Opera, Singapore Lyric Opera, and Teatru Manoel Valetta. She was Music Director for award-winning productions at Welsh National Youth Opera and returns for Shostakovich's Cheryomushki in 2022. Alice has conducted much of the standard ballet repertoire with companies including the Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Danish Royal Ballet. In 2022 she conducts Swan Lake at Opera de Rouen.
She is Artistic Director of Women Conductors with the Royal Philharmonic Society and National Concert Hall Dublin Female Conductor Programme and is much sought after as a teacher. She was Organ Scholar at St. Hugh's College, Oxford University and trained for three years with the legendary pedagogue Ilya Musin in St. Petersburg.