One more receipted and filed

One more semester into the history books: all grades for Spring 2009 entered and "rolled" (gone into the database, now irretrievable in the absence of special paperwork). 4am in the States, 10amm in Eire: maybe I won't receive quite so many tear-stained emails pleading special causes/cases.

Nine hours of undergraduate trad music senior recitals yesterday: frightening level of technical facility in a lot of them, but the same old durable criteria hold true: what's the point? Why did you choose to play this tune rather than than, in this key rather than that, with these accompanists rather than those (or none)?

Youth is the time to acquire your chops--and certainly these youngsters have those, in spades--but artistry comes only rarely to the young. Artistry comes from deciding what not to do--and that usually requires a little (chronological and/or emotional) maturity.

Off for another 9 hours of it today. And tomorrow.