The Beauty of an A

Last month, one of my eighth-grade flute students shared his Solo & Ensemble evaluation with me. He earned an A+ in nearly every category. At the end, the judge wrote: “Fantastic performance.”

Yet he knows his musical journey goes far beyond an A.

In music, perfectionism often creates anxiety and constraint. Many musicians aim to follow every rule on the page.

Their tone is correct.

Their rhythm is correct.

Their interpretation is correct.

And yet, something is still missing in their performance.

High performers operate differently. They connect the core musical elements (tone, technique, dynamics, intonation, and interpretation) into a cohesive whole. They explore, review, and gather evidence. They are willing to take the music apart, down to a single note, then rebuild it, keeping the vision intact while allowing it to grow beyond what was originally imagined or written on the page.

The goal is correction in service of a larger vision while integrating depth and connection through focused work and intent.

The result is an ease that moves from performer to audience, creating a shared experience that feels alive and present.

Perhaps that is the difference between a musician and an artist.

And I see this same distinction play out far beyond music.