(Posted this on Facebook but then realized it was better to share here.)
Oh, this is the one that’s so exactly my own personal crusade too, and thanks so much for writing it! I have so many thoughts about this… the way the Cult of Genius has led to the devaluing of every performance other than The Most Genius-y One; the way the “only do this if you can’t imagine anything else” tactics have alienated anyone seeking a middle ground; the way we’ve equated “amateur” with a “lower, worse” level than professional rather than its own rewarding, different endeavor; the way competitions keep becoming more numerous while non-competitive musical organizations evaporate… it’s all such a damn shame.
(Posted this on Facebook but then realized it was better to share here.)
Oh, this is the one that’s so exactly my own personal crusade too, and thanks so much for writing it! I have so many thoughts about this… the way the Cult of Genius has led to the devaluing of every performance other than The Most Genius-y One; the way the “only do this if you can’t imagine anything else” tactics have alienated anyone seeking a middle ground; the way we’ve equated “amateur” with a “lower, worse” level than professional rather than its own rewarding, different endeavor; the way competitions keep becoming more numerous while non-competitive musical organizations evaporate… it’s all such a damn shame.
Terrific piece. Nashville reminds me a bit Vienna, although I’ve spent little time in either city.
France is still like this in the smaller cities. I’m the one who has to slap my inner critic down & appreciate what is there.