| Maybe I'm naive, misinformed or insufficiently educated in the discipline, but are not the best performers not only technicians, but artists and intepreters as well?
Can one interpret without knowing the language?
I've sat through technically "perfect" pieces in which I've been unmoved. I've also been blessed in having heard less than perfect performances that have stirred the blood, and left me awed at the emotions the performer(s) were able to convey and evoke.
Perhaps the points to clarify are at what level does more then rudimentary or general survey knowledge begin to impinge on the time necessary to perfect and maintain performance skill?
Most performance programs dictate x number of hours in both theory and history. From what I gather from perusal is that these are fairly basic courses providing background, rudimentary knowledge and some basic applied application.
Specialized focus and more detailed subject analysis is normally pursued by those students wishing to broaden their knowledge of specific areas, and are normally accomplished by taking electives, seminars, upper level courses as electives, not mandates.
Do I completely not understand, or am I missing something? |