When Giuseppe di Giugno’s pioneering work in electronics opened the pathway to interactive techniques, he was sympathetic to the limitations of many conductors who had no training in electronics. ‘Synthesizers should be made for musicians, not [ for] the people that make them’ was one of his goals – and good news for conductors who can take advantage of his innovations. But this does not reduce the number of issues which he/she must deal with in rehearsal and performance. While conductors do not need to be involved in the technology related to works deploying live instruments and computers, their awareness of the often complex tasks of those controlling the electronic element is vital, especially in rehearsals. Lamberto Coccioli was an assistant to Luciano Berio for several years and presided over the electronics in many performances of the composer’s works. He offers a number of recommendations for conductors who have no training in electro-acoustic music. The information in Part One (p. 81) relating to several works is a useful introduction to his comments.

Coccioli considers that balance is the most difficult issue for a conductor to deal with because he/she is not in the right position to listen to the combined effect of the electro-acoustic element through the speakers around the auditorium and the live instruments which might also be amplified. His solution to this is that a second conductor should be available in rehearsals so that the main conductor can listen to the effect in the auditorium. This would be a useful experience for a student. The more complex a synthesizer the more difficult it is to adapt their use to analogue works. This is also affected by their rather speedy obsolescence and the fact that they cannot be replaced once new models have entered the market.

The title describing the person who controls the electronic element in a performance was originally ‘sound engineer’. Coccioli prefers ‘electronics performer’ as a more appropriate description. With ‘real time’ works of this kind Coccioli thinks it wise for a pre-rehearsal to be devoted to those involved with the electronics. It is important for the electronics performer to have a major input relating to the format for rehearsals.