“Finding the right conductor is one of the hardest yet most critical things an orchestra can do. As someone once observed, God himself would not be too impressive a candidate… The problem is analogous to love affairs, when initial attraction and subsequent passion are followed by a discovery of long-term incompatibility. As one veteran Toronto Symphony player has observed, ‘we go out on a date with these guys once or twice and are expected to get married to them.'” Moreover, the list of duties assumed by a conductor once the title of ‘music director’ is bestowed has lengthened considerably in recent decades, meaning that orchestras are no longer looking merely for an outstanding musician. “More than catalysts, they almost need to be Messiahs.”