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I will be joining a string orchestra in the summer which will have no conductor. We are all experienced players and will use our principle violinist for tempo. The plan is to resolve interpretation issues democratically, and where that fails the 5 section leaders will have the final say. Principle violin, of course, will be in charge and act as a kind of conductor but in essence we will be a bloated string quartet. Should be great fun and I'll let you know how it works!
That String Orchestra will be relatively small - 4 or 5 desks per instrument plus a couple of double basses - so that is what should make the lack of a conductor workable. Any more than 40 or 50 people and you will lose the cohesiveness, and that is when a conductor is needed. Also, a conductor is there to give a single unified interpretation - this string orch I talk of will not be successful if we cannot decide how the is meant to be played.
Conductors are also important for giving rehearsals vibrancy and keeping everyone enthused. A dull rehearsal is not enjoyable, and therefore closes people down to the interpretation and nuances that the conductor should be coaxing from the players they have availible.
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