Student reviews from the University came back. Each term less than 10% fill them out but always interesting. They are anonymous and run the spectrum from I hate your guts to I love you. One curious entry left my wife and I with differing opinions:

“This course has been deeply moving and I’m grateful for the insights it provided. While I initially thought music and entrepreneurship might be a path I could pursue, I’ve come to a realization that it is not the right fit for me. The course made me understand the level of talent, creativity and hard work required to succeed in the field and I’ve come to accept that I don’t have the necessary skills or dedication to keep up with the demand of this career. That said, I deeply value what I’ve learned here, especially about the entrepreneurial mindset and the realities of the music industry. It’s helped me see that I need to explore other paths that align better with my strengths and interest. Thank you for this invaluable learning experience. It’s been a turning point in helping me figure out what I have to focus in the future.”

Magali thought they were sad. She felt sorry for them. I understand her reaction but my interpretation different. In my twenties I dropped out of music school after just a year. No one showed me how it works and that’s what I wanted to know. Where do I go? What do I do? I will make a decision based on understanding my chances. Instead, it was all can you explain the complex meter from this Balkan song? Can you hear the difference between Dorian and Lydian? Can you sight read dense notation? I place students into what’s going on currently and let them see how it fits or doesn’t fit with whoever they are. For better or worse I try offering what I wanted for my younger self.