As musicians don't we all have an unquenched intense thirst to be recognized for musical accomplishments? Is there not something delicious about the idea of surpassing the thousands and thousands of hours of intensive study and the many many less than desirable noises that escape a bell during the first several years of one's musical studies? I think not. First off, the greats never stop learning or exploring. Between ITG and studying under a variety of distinguished professionals it has become glaringly obvious that these guys are great because they are endlessly trying to grow their skills and create new things. If that isn't the core element of studentship I don't know what is. Secondly, a musician at any level has a standing in a community (regardless of how closely or virtually they may be connected to it). Every musician will be talked about, has a reputation, and will rely on professional networking to further their career (like any other). Thirdly, all of us (except the few truly ridiculously gifted) will enjoy (or endure depending upon their personality) years of student level development. it is common knowledge that studentship is a lengthy, challenging, and essential part of a musicians development. During this time we will discover what techniques suit us, how we learn most easily, what types of music we enjoy most, what types of music come easiest to us, whether or not we enjoy teaching, what our strengths and weaknesses are, what equipment compliments us best, and so much more! Lastly, we get to mess up, often, and no one judges us at all. A phenomenon that will never happen again after exiting our elementary musical education. As I have the pleasure of meeting more and more musicians my age I realize many of them are eager to project their skill sets to be far more advanced than what they truly are or even worse are genuinely embarrassed they haven't reached a professional level yet. It is when students project themselves to be something they are not that they have something to be embarrassed about. It is when students fail to appreciate the value and power of being a student that they should be embarrassed. I am unapologetically enjoying and maximizing my student status and wish that on all of my peers.
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