It's probably hard to imagine that orchestra conductors don't emerge fully-formed from the womb in white tie and tails.
However, these elite artists have to train like anyone else in order to harness the potential of a live performance.
While I was rooting around on You Tube some time ago for pieces from Stravinsky's Apollo, I came across this clip of a young conductor learning his craft. He takes the orchestra through the second Apollo variation, one of my favorite pieces of music, during a masterclass with Russian conductor Yuri Simonov.
Artists are forever fine-tuning their techniques. Learning and growing should never end for those of us who create. The key is to never confuse instruction with a message of not-good-enough. Embrace refinement of your craft. Find the courage to climb higher.
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