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A painter hangs his or her finished picture on a wall, and everyone cansee it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it until it isperformed. Professionalsingers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer isutterly dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as arduous atraining to become a performer as a medical student needs to become adoctor. Most training is concerned with technique, for musicians have to have the muscular proficiency of an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords wouldbe inadequate without controlled muscular support. String players practicemoving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow toand fro with the right arm -- two entirely different movements. Singers andinstrumentalists have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianistsare spared this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there,waiting for them, and it is the piano tuners responsibility to tune theinstrument for them. But they have their own difficulties: the hammers that hit the strings have to be coaxed not to sound like percussion, and each overlapping tone has to soundclear. This problemof getting clear texture is one that confronts student conductors: they have tolearn to know every note of the music and how it should sound, and they have to aim at controlling these sounds with fanaticalbut selfless authority. | 
