baton
A thin stick used by a conductor to direct an ensemble.
In Depth
The conductor's baton is typically 30-60 centimetres long, made of wood, fibreglass, or carbon fibre, with a small bulb or cork handle. Its primary purpose is to make the conductor's beating patterns visible to a large ensemble — the tip of the baton amplifies small hand movements into gestures that can be seen from the back of a stage.
Not all conductors use a baton. Some prefer to conduct with their bare hands, which allows for more nuanced, expressive gestures at the cost of some visibility. Leopold Stokowski, Pierre Boulez, and Valery Gergiev are famous for conducting without a baton. The choice is deeply personal and affects the conductor's entire physical relationship with the music.
Conductors occasionally lose their batons mid-performance — it flies out of their sweaty hand and into the orchestra. Most continue conducting with their bare hand without missing a beat.