The Silent Musician ~ Why Conducting Matters

Press Ups and Downs: A performer’s relationship with the critics is complicated but unavoidable.

Occasional Music: Does the quantity of music around today affect the quality of the listening experience?

Force or Personality: Conductors command respect through authority rather than power.

Nurture and Nature: Conductors are made as well as born.

Does Practice make Perfect?

Blowing Your Own Trumpet: Is performing about more than just musicianship?

The Great and the Good: Is it possible to define what separates truly great performances from merely very good ones?

Spoiler Alert: Could operatic surtitles replace the programme plot synopsis to deliver real surprises?

Pause for Thought: For Mozart the pause is a simple device employed to perfection.

Pros and Cons: Is it possible to be both professional and amateur at the same time?

Joining Hands: Applause is an essential part of the concert experience

Heartfelt Memories: Conducting without the score can be liberating if approached in the right way.