<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">  <title>Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?</title> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Fred, Jeff,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Here’s a theory that bears repeating;<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Stephen King, the author, claims (I’m paraphrasing) “There are about 5 levels in any art or craft. Level one is someone who can’t do it well and never will, no matter how much training. Level Five is a genius level that one is basically born with. The Michelangelo’s, Mozart’s, etc. No matter how much you strive, work, etc. most can never achieve this level and those born with it do it almost naturally. All others fall in levels 2 – 4. (He considers himself a 4) One with a certain amount of talent and a lot of hard work can progress upwards in the 2-4, and that’s’ what we do”. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> (Stephen King; “On Writing”. An excellent insight into writing and the arts in general, IMO. He teaches, or taught writing.)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I’ve seen this as a music teacher. Some who think they’ve “got it” (ala American Idol) are incredibly awful. Yet I’ve seen so many with seemingly no talent rise up to become very good. My theory is they really did “have it in them” but needed direction to get it out. Pavarotti says he didn’t have any innate talent. Go figure. His is a wonderful story and not at all unique. One gal I taught couldn’t match pitches at all! 3 years of hard work and she graduated getting <st1:place w:st="on">Superior</st1:place> ratings at state. After her MA she is now singing with an opera company back east and the recordings she sends me are exquisite! She visits and performs occasionally. She had the desire, and the pipes, but her first teacher basically told her to try something else…<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I never cease to be amazed at the human spirit.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Jim Busby  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred Sturm Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 8:08 PM To: caut Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <<<On 11/5/07 3:00 PM, "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner@mozart.sc.edu> wrote:<o:p></o:p> Someone who holds a music degree has merely demonstrated that they can absorb material long enough to regurgitate it on an exam, and that they have shown some degree of incremental improvement in musical ability over a 2 or 4 year period, that they have attended a certain number of performances per term and have been present and accounted for in at least one performing ensemble each term.  It has not made them musical if they were not already. <o:p></o:p> Hi Jeff,     I was planning to sit this discussion out and let it die a merciful death, but your ever more outrageous and ludicrous claims have finally got to me. The above statement is mostly pure and simple crap. >>>      <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>