A boy came this afternoon to ask about studying music in Berlin. His uncle, who is an acquaintance when I was in Berlin, called earlier this morning to ask if he could come. I said ok.
He was graduated from Music Faculty of UNPAS (which offered me a teaching job that I accepted and left after a week). It's just impossible. He played a Mozart Sonata in C major and I just knew that he wouldn't even passed grade 5 ABRSM piano exam, even if he played something far easier than that. I told all the necessary things: that it's very difficult to get in, that he has to have enough qualification in German, and it's better if he played something at his level of skills and knowledge. I think the more and more I spoke the more he hated me, because all I'm talking about is those hundreds of obstacles and I admit that I wasn't encouraging at all.
It's just that I think it's a serious crime to educate someone only to make them feel that they are adequate (when in fact they don't) and form this false conviction in their mind that they are good. I know that education is suppose to make you feel that, but in a way I think the best one is the one that make you feel that you know there are more things out there that you have to know.
Anyway, as I expected, the boy was becoming very defensive as if I was attacking all his reasoning to go to Berlin. When I told him that maybe he should try to take ABRSM exams to at least measure his ability in international standard, he was saying that he didn't think it's necessary as he once accompany a violinist for an exam and the girl passed (so....???). When I told him that he should start to take German course, he said he will do it after he apply. (Gosh, he doesn't even have a clue!) In the end I just wished him good luck and told him to try out for it anyway. If he's wise, the experience will open his eyes. As Shakespeare would say, "Let every eye negotiate for itself, and trust no agent."
(Imported old blog, originally written on February 17)
