Simon Dobson is a trumpet player, composer, producer and principal conductor of the Parallax Orchestra. As well as conducting and working as an MD internationally, he is a critically-acclaimed and widely-performed composer and a recipient of two British Composer Awards  for his works 'Symphony of Colours' and 'Journey of the Lone Wolf'. 

Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.

​I grew up in the uk playing trumpet in brass bands and wind orchestras. When I was 18 I went to London to study composition at the Royal College of Music. Following my degree I started playing in bands, conducting various ensembles and touring, as well as working as a session player in recording studios.

This led to me starting out as a studio arranger and after many records writing brass and string for bands of all different types, I found my way into orchestral conducting and arranging, this is where most of my living is made now.

What drove you to choose your career path?

​My family was musical and I was given the opportunity to learn music from a young age. Regardless it was what I most enjoyed, understood and how I communicated most efficiently. In some ways I don't really feel that music even was a career path, it has just always been my life. I know no other way. The greatest feeling I ever have is making sick music with sick musicians.

How did you go about getting your job? What kind of education and experience did you need?

​My job has just very very slowly become a thing. I've always done the same sort of things, but now I get paid to do them. One thing has always lead onto the next and I believe that working hard and treating people with respect is the best way to continue getting work. In terms of the orchestral conducting and arranging, I sort of fell into that. After a session at a studio where I was conducting/recording some strings i'd written, I was asked by the session violinist Will Harvey to get involved with a project with Bring Me The Horizon.

After writing and conducting the orchestral parts and the orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, things starting falling into place a little. To be a conductor and orchestral arranger formal musical training helps for sure, you need to be fluent in the mechanics of music, which is why I've always believed that learning music theory from a young age was the best thing that ever happened to me.

What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?

​I really only do music. At times thats a weird thing because the line between work time and playtime is so blurred, but for me there really only is music. It's my job, how I interact (jams etc), and how I have fun (messing around on Logic or listening to records). More recently (during lockdown) i've definitely found focus and motivation hard, especially when facing the fact that my job/career as I've known it might have to radically change in order for it to continue in whatever the 'new normal' is. In these times i've found myself reading a lot and cycling.

What misconceptions do people often have about your job?

​Honestly, most people and often most musicians in bands don't really know what a conductor does, or even what they are there for. 'Don't you just wave your arms around?!' is something I hear often. Conductors control a great deal of what happens live, or rather they have a lot of responsibility to the musicians. A conductor keeps people in time as their most basic function, they know the score (every players parts in one piece) inside out and have to cue everyone’s entries and know what’s going to happen before it does, often reading a few bars ahead of what the orchestra are actually playing. The conductor must also use their body language and facial expression to tell the orchestra how the music must sound emotionally. 

Another misconception I face often (and am always unsure how to answer without sounding unprofessional) is that when myself and the Parallax Orchestra perform with bands often fans think that the bands themselves write the orchestral parts. I saw comments recently on some of the BMTH Royal Albert Hall videos saying that Ollie’s orchestral arrangements were amazing... I mean, fine, but, like, thats why we exist, to do the things the bands don't have the experience or knowledge to do themselves. 

What are your average work hours?

​At the moment probably relatively low. All of my work for the rest of the year has been cancelled, playing writing and conducting, so I'm focusing back in on my 2nd album for the next few months. When the work is flowing my hours can be long. I write a lot of orchestral music for the Metroppole Orkest in Amsterdam, and last year I wrote a bunch of arrangements for them to perform with various artists, all the work seemed to come in at once I ended up doing 12/16 hour days for weeks without a day off until it was done.

As a composer, there have been times when a commission (of I guess what people would call my more 'serious' music) has taken every waking minute for months. Swings and roundabouts.

What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?

​Prep. If I know exactly what i'm doing and what is expected I work better. So now at the start of projects I ask for the brief to be almost forensic in its detail and direction. Other than that trying to live well helps. Rest, exercise, eating well, that sort of thing. There really aren't any hacks to being a pro musician as far as I've seen.

What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?

​Honestly I don't know. Conductors are an odd bunch. There is SUCH little work that competition is fierce and conductors, whilst friendly with each, other don't give much away. The writing and composition community is much different, very open and helpful, but literally everyone has a slightly different skill set and way of doing things. I'm at the stage in my career and age now where its best just to trust my instincts and smash onwards, though i'm always learning.

Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?

​Just ask me and be clear. Come ready armed with as much detail as possible on timescale, music, budget etc. There’s nothing more frustrating than being asked to commit to a project that you've been given only the vaguest of information on.

What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?

​Long hours, isolation and often stress. I see these as part of the job but I guess they should be avoidable by clean living and planning. During an actual show the pressure on a conductor is utterly immense, I hardly know how to describe it. EVERYTHING hinges on you not making a single mistake, often hundreds of thousands of pounds are at stake so obviously trying not to mess up takes a huge amount of concentration and hard work.

That’s why knowing your job inside out is important. Other stresses are the constant disappointments of gigs and commissions not working out, not happening or falling through at the last minute. This happens WAY more than you think. For every orchestral arranging or conducting job that I complete there are probably 4 or 5 that don't happen.

What's the most enjoyable part of the job?

​The moments when it just works. One of the best moments of not just my job, but probably my life was on the 2nd night of the Parallax V Alter Bridge shows at the RAH. Myles sung this insane high note and the orchestra somehow found a whole other gear, I felt on top of the world and able to elevate my own performance and that of the orchestras without effort. It was a magic.

Really though, the best thing about my job is knowing that you've made people happy and given joy. Seeing fans and musicians alike emotional because of something you've been part of is really the best thing I can hope for in my life. 

What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?

​There is a huge sliding scale. These days for high profile projects I charge a certain amount for my orchestral arrangement and conducting, this is because the work is high quality and I can turn it round fast. There are however times when I charge much less or even nothing depending on how much I like the project and the musicians involved. I make an average yearly salary for a creative of my age (maybe less, music is far less lucrative than other fields, and whilst bands can make HUGE money, often people with more musical training and knowledge work in the background and earn very little) but I do all sorts of musical things that together pay my rent and allow me to eat. I play, I compose, I arrange, I fix (book players) and I conduct. If you're doing music for the money you're either deluded or doing it for the wrong reasons.

 How do you move up in your field?

1. ​Work hard (harder than everyone else).

2. Don't mess up (see point 1)

3. Been kind and show respect.

4. Don't be afraid.

What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?

​If you compose/conduct already, find ways of doing this within the music industry ie studio arranging and studio conducting (string sessions etc). Study, study, study. Music is literally infinite so you can't expect any sort of work to find you unless you know your shit. Listen to as much music as you can, especially music from the past. Classical music was how todays musical rules were written. Without some knowledge of the past you can't accurately know your craft now. Learning music theory is a total must, its the universal musical language, just as important as mathematics or physics. Know your stuff, be kind, be confident, be willing, be open, be humble. 

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