'Nowhere To Hide'

They're out in front, often the most visible part of an orchestra, but what do conductors actually do? Are they nothing more than glorified human metronomes? Something for the audience to watch while they're listening to the music? Alexander Shelley, one of the youngest conductors in the world, explains his role (video): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-18085153