Excellent points about auditions and rejections. I remember being rejected for primary piano study at a very competitive conservatory and was distraught about it. It had me distrust any future teachers I had because when I was a child all my mediocre teachers inflated my level of capability because I showed much “talent.”

At 40, I still have this insecurity even though I am studying with two good teachers. One of the greatest technological tools (IF USED WISELY!) to address this partly is the tape recorder. I think that any young, intermediate student serious about music should tape record themselves and play it to others early on. This can save much time and money with well-meaning but mediocre teachers or with ones’ own wasteful and harmful practice techniques.

When I heard a recording of my organ playing recently I heard some good things but also was shocked by how variable my tempi were on some works due to either unnecessary tension about a “tough spot” or lack of feel for the musical pulse. This is a bit off topic but for many musicians the feel of the musical pulse is sooo important but usually takes much time to communicate. After the notes and their values are learned with proper articulations and dynamics, often the musical pulse suffers due to myopia from focus on these details. However, I find everything falls into place and any true problem points are easily identified once you play or sing a work with the correct pulse or “tactus” as my teacher says. A great example is Howell’s choral anthem My eyes for beauty pine (or, many Howell anthems which sound easy in performance but are not)where the accompaniment provides many quarter notes while the meter alternates between 6/4 and 7/4. The only way to play it is to communicate the alternating half and dotted half note pulses throughout. Not easy.