Klarinet Archive - Posting 000277.txt from 1996/06

From: Suzi Crookshank <suzic@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: new discussion topic: talent vs hard work
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 08:05:29 -0400

On Monday, June 17, 1996 4:10 PM, Stan Geidel[SMTP:sgeidel@-----.NET] =
wrote:
> Friends,
>=20
> I propose the following discussion topic...
>=20
> Let's imagine two very different students. The first student =
possesses
> signficant talent; things come naturally and easily to this =
individual.
> Long hours in the practice room are not really necessary for this =
person to
> attain excellent results; results appear after only a modest =
investment of time.
> The second student is only of modest talent, but has an =
uncompromising
> work ethic. This second student is willing to spend uncounted hours =
in the
> practice room to do "whatever it takes" to excel on the clarinet.
>=20
> All other things being equal, which hypothetical student would achieve =
more
> over time, both instrumentally and musically? I am asking the =
question,
> "What is more important: innate ability, or hard work?"
>=20
> --Stan Geidel
>=20

I think innate ability is more important. That statement comes =
from a person who could be called moderately talented and practices more =
than any other person she knows, and yet is still not exceptionally =
good. I like to think that if I practice enough I will eventually be =
able to be successful as a performer, but whenever I go to a college =
audition I am reminded of how far I have to go. I have to tell my =
friends that I'm not really that good (they think I'm cool because I =
made first chair in Symphonic band at our high school), because if I =
really was, I would have gone to both districts and/or all-state this =
year.=20
I do think that teachers should always encourage their students, no =
matter how lacking in talent they are, as long as they want to improve. =
They may never play in a symphony orchestra, but they might play in a =
community band. They will also have a deeper appreciation of music and =
the people who make it. Before I started playing clarinet and joined =
band, I never listened to classical music, or any music for that matter, =
but now I almost always have something on (when I'm not practicing or =
doing homework). =20
BTW, I'm majoring in performance this fall at the University of =
Miami, but I'm going to add Music Ed as adouble major, because I believe =
that my talents and abilities are better suited for being a high school =
band teacher than a player in a symphony orchestra.

---------------------------
Suzi Crookshank
suzic@-----.com
---------------------------