Reflections on Festival & Ratings
Sunday, February 27, 2022 by Bonnie Synhorst | Uncategorized
su·pe·ri·or
/səˈpirēər/
adjective
1.
higher in rank, status, or quality.
2.
having or showing an overly high opinion of oneself; supercilious.
noun
As I will be posting the results of the festival in the coming days, I’d like to encourage all students and parents to reflect upon the rating that the students were working toward. Some of you will see this word, Superior, circled on your rating sheet and others will not. So before you know what your result is, please take some time to reflect.
In light of recent world events, I have a rather negative view of measuring one's status against another human being, so I think it’s also imperative that the students (as well as parents) know that the judges were not comparing you to the other performers—-they were comparing you to YOU. They (and collectively, we) can usually measure up your potential to play the pieces you presented to a certain level and then compare that perceived potential to the quality you have shown. It is actually the quality of the performance presented that is deemed to be superior, not the quality of your performance in contrast or comparison to the other students.
And to those students that did not receive superior ratings—you have been given a gift. It doesn’t seem like it and you will be crushed, but I want you to think about this strongly before the ratings come out. Did you really do your best? Did you really, honestly present the best preparation to me and to the judge. If the answer is no—-if you procrastinated and did not follow the direction and advice, you know what you should have received, but will probably be pleasantly surprised that the judge still saw your potential. Just remember that potential is NOT achievement and therefore not superior. But your gift is the chance to learn from the experience. You see, if they had told you that what you did was superior, you would simply think that the minimum or shoddy preparation is status quo for next time. Now you know what you need to do in order to achieve Superior results in the future. What a wonderful opportunity!
Lastly, we should also consider the second definition of ‘having or showing an overly high opinion of oneself’, and be reminded that, with great ability comes a heavy responsibility. How can you encourage and help your friends displaying a humble spirit? Talent is worth nothing if not utilised properly. Ability is wasted if it is only self-serving. Some may hear this week that, despite the rating, they are not really superior as there is still room to grow.
I’ll step down from my soap box in a moment, but these experiences are why we teach. Not to show you how to read the notes or how to make pretty sounds on your instrument, but how to think for yourself, make decisions, reap the rewards or suffer the consequences of those decisions, and to use your experiences to grow into a wonderful and sensitive human being.
a person or thing superior to another in rank, status, or quality, especially a colleague in a higher position.
