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Planning to get married in Goa? www.weddingsetcgoa.com Making your 'dream wedding' possible ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EVERYONE envies the girl who, when performing in public, can play the violin consistently well. What we do not envy, however, are the number of years she spent learning to play the instrument, putting in long hours of study, and learning all the things she needs to know to perform well. One of my students told me once that he would become furious when people casually dismissed the good marks he earned at his music examinations conducted by the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, securing distinctions right from Grade I to Grade 5, by saying, "Oh, but things come easily to you." Although the remark might have been complimentary, he resented it because he knew the hours of study and dedication he had to put into those marks, often working long hours on Sundays and holidays. "The worst of it," he commented, "was that I sometimes had to do some intensive practice sections on the violin again and again, in Scales and Arpeggios, selected Examination Pieces or Bowing Exercises." At least he recognized his ability doing a solid work in his studies. Like him, there are others who also recognized that activities like school work, artistic and sports activities or any other field involving one's talent demand a solid foundation of knowledge, persistence and patience. Sometimes we meet people who we call 'talented' because they can recite a poem with ease or paint a landscape without much effort, or even kick a football further than anybody else in the field. We get thrilled over her or his sheer raw talent. But talent carries its own share of dangers. It can very readily be confused with solid achievement. We cannot merely use it without developing it. It is great to show promise; it is tragic not to fulfil it. One reason we fail to attain our goal in our chosen activity is that it needs hard work to develop our skill. Talent demands incessant practice sessions, endless repetition, constant self-criticism and exasperation when performance falls short. We all admit the power of natural talent, which is known to exist, but as the Roman orator and statesman Cicero once said, "When the method and discipline of knowledge are added to talent, the result is usually altogether outstanding." By this, we must admit that hard work plays an important role in one's skill. -- [Prof. Antonio Peregrino da Costa, a former professor of Linguistics and Music Education at the University of Maringa, Parana, Brazil, is currently Honorary Local Representative of The Associated Board of The Royal School of Music, London. He is based at House E77, Near Military Hospital, Campal, Panjim. Ph +91-832-6641672]
