Follow your principal. That way if you are all wrong, you’re at least wrong together. If you are the principal and you can’t understand the conductor, follow the concertmaster or ask for clarification. My point of view is that the conductor is always right even when they are wrong. Give them what they want, at the level of musicianship it takes to become a conductor, they should be able to hear their mistake, perhaps not admit it, but at least fix it later. If you need a better cue from the conductor, have your principal ask for it if the whole section is struggling. Or perhaps your principal could give you the cue if it’s something they are grasping and you’re not. The conductor should want the best performance possible and if that means having to toss in an extra cue to the bass section, it would be hard to find a justification not to. Playing in an orchestra I’ve always considered myself as part of the conductors instrument. I just do what I’m told. I’ve never played in anything higher than college level symphony so maybe the bigger leagues see it differently though, I don’t know. You could also think about it kind of in a military way. Your section leader is your Sargent, concertmaster some mid level officer, colonel we’ll say, and the conductor is the general. Follow the chain of command. It’s nice if you understand the complete battle plan, but not necessary. Follow your Sargent and do your part, it’s your Sargent’s job to interpret the orders from the top. Fall in line and do what you’re told.
