Awesomeness

In my teenage years I'd occasionally watch Masterclass programmes on the telly. These involved great musicians hearing really gifted students play and giving them instruction. Most of what was played and said went way over my head, but even a distinctly ungifted kid like myself got some benefit from being exposed to the very, very best dealing in considerable detail with what they were the very, very best at. At the least I got to understand just how jaw-droppingly talented these people were and how deep and detailed the art they helped create was, even if I didn't really understand most of what was being said.

Today I attended a real live Masterclass over at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory. It featured the beyond jaw-droppingly talented concert pianist Stephen Hough (wow! in real life and close up!) and three averagely jaw-droppingly talented young pianists - two studying at the university and one being my school's very own Jonah. Things have changed a bit for me, but not that much. It was all still miles over my head, but these days I've got enough concentration to hang on every note, and hang on I did through three wonderful performances. Following each of which the masterly Mr Hough took what we'd heard wonderfully to pieces, showing each performer how they could be even better. We're talking about excellence in every dimension on a staggering level here.

Sometimes, only very occasionally fortunately, students tell me I am awesome in some way. This is very nice of them, but inaccurate in the extreme. What I enjoyed this afternoon really deserved the label. And then some.