To be a complete artist, it is also important to study away from your instrument.

You must be able to see how the composer built his composition in order for you to give the work a proper rendering. You must understand and apply any and all analytical techniques of musical theory, form, counterpoint, etc., to gain insight.

You must read and understand the work of music historians, biographers, theorists and aestheticians so as to gain further insight into the composer and his time. Each age has had different artistic values and performance practices. The study of composer's life and era are yet another vital link to understanding and performing a piece of music with complete awareness.

For orchestral musicians especially, it is vital to study the art of the conductor. Understanding the conductor's role and responsibilities will aid you in working with him to create the music. In any case, you must be able to read a full score to understand your place in the musical texture.

You must understand orchestration and have a working knowledge of how all instruments
sound and are played. This is practical from a standpoint of learning how best to coordinate your musical efforts with others, will give you insight into the unique problems that each instrument is striving to overcome, and teach you many different ways to approach music in terms of articulation, sound and style.

You must understand the art of the singer as well. What the great vocalists know about breathing, diction, clarity, phrasing and the shaping of sound is legendary.

To understand dancing is to understand tempo, timing, movement through space, form, balance, grace and strength.

To understand art is to further your awareness of mood, color, shading, shape and texture.

To explore literature and theatre is to examine motivation, characterization, staging and the range of the human experience.

Above all, you must listen to the great masters of music in all styles and genres.

Artistry is the ability to play beautifully at "mezzo forte" in the middle register at a
moderate tempo. Shallow virtuosity is the desire to play only faster, higher or louder.

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