That means that these musical experts, all of whom have achieved very high levels of musicianship on their primary instruments, find themselves back at square one with a new musical instrument. They get in touch with their “inner beginners.”
As individuals training to be music educators, the inner beginner experiences are absolutely critical. Thanks to those experiences, my students develop a rich appreciation for what their students are going through in their musical studies. Being in touch with their inner beginners certainly makes my students better music educators.
This morning, I was thinking that it should be a requirement for all professions that people get in touch with the inner beginner of their field. So doctors should experience first-hand what it is like not to have the vast medical knowledge that they have. Auto mechanics should walk in the shoes of someone who doesn’t know how a car works. CEOs should live a day (or perhaps longer) in the life of someone who doesn’t know anything about their business, or about how to run a business.
Can you imagine how things might be different in today’s world if all of us were required to get in touch with the inner beginners of our field? There would be much more potential for different types of interchange between people in the same field, as well as across fields. There would be greater empathy for clients. There would be more clarity and transparency in communications.
What do you think of this idea?
