ABSTRACT
Musicians are used to doing. We enjoy such things as rehearsing, performing, improvising, composing, conducting, and teaching. We may pause now and then to think about what we are doing or how we are doing it, but far less often do we slow down or stop to think about why we do what we do. I became more keenly aware of this stereotypical description of musical life during an oral exam of a graduate student. This student was already a member of a major symphony orchestra. His degree recital was masterful, and in both his written and oral examinations he answered questions about repertoire and pedagogy with ease and at a very high level. Yet, when I asked him near the end of the exam why all of this was important, what meaning did it have, he did not have an answer and moreover thought the question slightly ridiculous.
