Klarinet Archive - Posting 000299.txt from 1996/06

From: Peter Stoll <peter.stoll@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: new discussion topic: talent vs hard work
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 1996 16:38:55 -0400

For what it's worth, my old teacher, Avrahm Galper, used to quote the
following in lessons: "Talent is 9O% hard work!!". My $.01.

On Tue, 18 Jun 1996, Suzi Crookshank wrote:

> 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
> ---------------------------
>