Now that I've had a couple of years teaching a bit at a university in addition to my private teaching, education outreach, and performing... I feel like I'm noticing a few trends in that I'm not really a fan of. Or perhaps I'm being a normal human and overseeing the things that bother me, while straw-manning and constructing a favourable narrative for the things that I hold dear!

What I have noticed is the heavy focus at all stages of the classical music education process on technical metrics... in tune, and in time... and in a fairly robotic and literal way. You are almost expected to carry out the instructions on the page in a literal manner, and the one that is most "faithful" to the score is the one who is rewarded with orchestral jobs and that sort of thing... needless to say, like most things, this tends to compound over time as those who hold those ideals in high regard will select others who do the same.

Of course, it is the easiest metric to measure "quality" by... but I'm more and more convinced that whilst it is a requisite BASIC level... it isn't the right skills to be focussing upon when we hit a certain point of proficiency. That said, what is that level of proficiency... it seems to be the lowest common denominator way of saying what is good. A metric that is easily measured and easily agreed upon... however, I would argue that this focus has been the poison at the heart of modern classical music.

When I look further afield to other forms and genres of music, there isn't this heavy focus on the things that are basic and that don't ultimately matter to the performance or a the transmission of a message. And they have not lost their audiences and are in many ways, more able to communicate with their audience. Classical music seems to have lost that in part... (again, not absolutes... but I do believe that it was a weighting that wasn't neccessary).

I have sat in on orchestral audition panels as a guest... I'm not in that field of music, and I only play in symphonic orchestras when I have some free time. And what astounded me was the fact that I was the outsider when it came to preferences... Everyone else on the panel were quite adamant that the players that held strict time, and played exactly what was required were the good ones to choose... and I was the outside voice who held that the more interesting and flexible players were the ones that were the good ones. Of course, they had similar levels of technical skill... but I would ALWAYS choose to play with an interesting and flexible partner over someone who is "correct" but contributes less.

... and in the long run, if I look at the surviving players and the desking of them... I would hold that I was right! My choices are ranked higher in desking, even though the rest of the panel were not keen to even PASS them!

Of course, I'm not advocating for complete abandonment of technical skills and ability... given that this is the internet, it is more likely than not that some will see this as a false dichotomy moment... in fact, I'm horrified by what passes for technical skill in universities. I would fail quite a few if I had my way... but universities need funding, and if you fail people you lose funding... so, people pass with quite questionable ability.

BUT... what I am saying is that high levels of technical skills are ONLY the basis for creating great performers and musicians... and NOT the end point. And sometimes, I think that we have accidentally geared our music education to think that it is of paramount importance.

Incoherent rant out...

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