What role do critics play in the musical infrastructure? Justin Davidson: “Few critics discover new talents. We do not, by and large, conduct the equivalent of artists’ studio visits. Mostly we rely on presenters and performers to sift through the mountains of novelty and put their own reputations at the service of an unknown composer’s. Often those people do a very good job. By the time a composer’s work is being performed at Carnegie Hall or at Disney Hall, that person has likely put in some time in lofts and basements.”