But if I can be convinced and then through the work that we do together, the orchestra can really be convinced of the big sweep of that communication that the piece suggests, then the audience will get it and it will be a good experience for all of us.

Tilson Thomas describes musical communication as a chain of conviction: the conductor must first be persuaded by a work’s expressive “big sweep,” then transmit that understanding through rehearsal so the orchestra collectively believes in the piece’s narrative and emotional arc. Only when performers share that unified, large-scale intention can the audience perceive the work as coherent and meaningful. The quote emphasizes interpretation as collaborative labor rather than mere execution, and it frames a successful concert as an ethical-aesthetic exchange—composer to conductor to ensemble to listeners—where sincerity and shared purpose create a “good experience” for everyone involved.