After finishing a performance in a master class, the student looks up, wide-eyed and expectant, at the teacher, expecting some sage advice or pearls of wisdom.
The teacher opens his mouth and says:
"You have two problems……your left hand and your right hand!"
What wisdom!
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A flutist friend of mine said she was at a master class and the (extremely famous) flutist said to her 19 year old student, “If you don’t have all the famous solos memorized by now it’s too late for you,” or some such thing.
How helpful for her. Do these folks know how devastating they can be? Probably. Do they care? I doubt it.
Sigh.
Of course I attended my own thrilling class. The now deceased, well known oboist said that at least my right hand position looked good and then proceeded to make fun of how I look when I breathe. “Look!” he said to the others, “you can see her teeth when she breathes!” And then he mimicked me.
Fortunately I was somewhat oblivious at the time. My colleagues (yes, I was playing professionally by then) felt so bad for me. I just ignored him. (Not sure why, since I’m usually overly sensitive.)