Glimpses

I dropped in this morning on a national competition for talented young musicians, held in the Beethoven Concert Hall in Bonn. For each instrument there was a list of 25 or so pieces they had to prepare. In round one, a few days ago, they were given 40 minutes notice of which piece they were to perform in front of the judges. For round two, today for cellists and tuba players, the survivors of the first round had had two days notice of which three pieces they were to perform. Gruelling intensity. It made me very happy to be a ninety-fifth-rate amateur. I face no competition. If I can't sing a bit I simply mime and others in the choir fill the gap. Or vice versa.

Another audience of 400 for us this evening. Astonishing.