In my introduction, I mentioned the principle of 10,000 hours. The original idea comes from a paper written by a University of Colorado Professor, Anders Ericsson entitled ‘The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance.’ The title speaks for itself and various writers, including; Malcolm Gladwell, Geoff Colvin and John Coyle have picked up the concept in their writings.
There is no doubt, being chained to your musical instrument for a considerable amount of time will help you become better – indeed practising is essential, but I rail against the concept of becoming ‘perfect’.
I think we can re-frame those words into something more constructive.
I was attending a master-class on the organ with the supremo organist and teacher Dame Gillian Weir. During my time in the spotlight, I became increasingly frustrated at the mistakes I was making, as perhaps one would in front of a world class player and one’s peers. At the end she said very gently;
“aim for excellence, not perfection“
Consider sport for a moment. Has there ever been a ‘perfect’ game where no player has ever made a mistake? What would that game be like? We talk about ‘playing’ an instrument as well as ‘playing’ a game. In any high spirited game, you can feel the players and crowd engrossed and consumed with the rise and fall of tension – just like performers and audience do during a piece of passionately played music which emotionally expands and contracts.
The result, or experience for those watching or listening, warts and all, is often truly uplifting.
To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.
Ludwig Van Beethoven
To help me re-frame the concept that ‘practice makes perfect‘, I have replaced ‘perfect’ with ‘excellence’, ‘practice’ with ‘play’, and ‘makes’ with ‘creates’.
It becomes ‘play creates excellence’. So, however many hours you spend doing something to get better at, find the fun bit – Mary Poppins had a point….
Musical Connections 