The concertmaster drew the bow over the violin’s A string. The noise that followed may have sounded like chaos to those already in their seats awaiting the concert. To the conductor’s ear, it was a glorious melody for he knew every instrument in the orchestra would soon be as one. Horns, strings, woodwinds, tympani, all tuned to the same note. The instrumentalists, each oblivious to the others, warmed up with scales or last-minute practice on difficult sections.
That all came to an abrupt stop as the conductor came out of the wings onto center stage. He walked toward the crowd, then stepped onto the podium and faced the orchestra. A curtain of silence fell over the whole auditorium. Not even a breath was heard. Every eye in the room was on him. He lifted his arms and instruments immediately responded by moving into playing position. With the downbeat, the music began. Every instrument played its part and made the black and white pages of the music score come to life. Countless hours of practice bathed with talent and a dose of opportunity transformed the notes on the pages to a lasting melody that echoed throughout the room.
When the last note of the concert ended, the conductor turned once again to face the audience who stood in applause. With a bow, he then directed their attention with a wave of his arm to the orchestra that had performed under his leadership. The musicians stood and applause erupted again.
As everyone went their way, they took with them a sense of satisfaction. Individuals from all walks of life and different backgrounds had come together to perform – not as individuals but as an orchestra. There were many instruments, some expensive, some not so much, and different levels of talent and ability. It took each one playing their individual instrument in tune with the others to create a masterpiece that was the performance of a lifetime.