Why is the Chicago Symphony taking so much time to find a new music directoor? “The orchestra has taken on the much broader role of asking what a music director needs to be in the 21st century — a time of unforeseen technological advances, shifting musical tastes, tremendous choices in how people spend their leisure time and extra dollars, and a widespread abandonment of music education in the schools. On top of these philosophical questions, the committee is well aware that the availability of top-flight candidates is in itself subject to almost chance variables.”