This is what it's all about: whether playing for personal pleasure or performance, music is special - combining cognitive elements, emotional response and physical dexterity from the performers! The thrill of live music is just that: when the music comes alive!

It's difficult to say just what causes the electrifying experience when it all comes together. It is much easier to identify the causes of mediocrity. One thing is clear: if, as a performer, there is an expectation of the lack-lustre then you can be pretty sure that is what you'll get!

The hound suggests that there are several competencies to progress through in order to create excellence in performance. A certain level of achievement is required at each before the next can be pursued:

• playing the notes
• understanding the music
• loving the music
• communicating that love

The hound has attended (and played in) concerts where the fear of failure is commuincated to the audience more clearly than love of the music! Clearly technical proficiency is necessary to liberate the performance to the next level, but it will rarely generate the thrilling performance we all seek.

What do you think? Email us at the hound: