Kelley: Don’t worry about being the best; just do your very best
Tue, 12/06/2011 - 2:58pm
By LINDA KELLEY
Rantoul Press columnist
While driving home through the country, the classical music from our local public radio affiliate added just the right touch of peace as I took note of the already-barren farm fields.
With the harvest over and the last of the colorful leaves strewn on the wind, the season of brown and grey is beginning. Our only solace is the beautiful sunrises, sunsets and occasional sunny day now.
The calm, soothing voice of the radio announcer began her introduction to the next selection with a quote that captured my attention, “Don’t worry about being the best. Be your best.”
It was in reference to 25-year-old Austrian pianist Ingolf Wunder, who was greatly expected to win the 2010 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Ingolf had his first music lesson at 4 years old, initially on the violin, reaching a high level of proficiency when, at the age of 14, his extraordinary talent for the piano was discovered by a teacher who urged him to dedicate himself to the piano alone.
He won the top prize at several renowned competitions and spent 18 months preparing for the Chopin Competition delivering world-class performances in Warsaw that were described in reviews as “the most exquisitely poised Chopin sound” (The Telegraph) and as having “that subtle extra magic and even before the last chord had finished sounding, the audience erupted.” (Grammophon)
Everyone expected him to capture first place.
Instead, he came in second.
However, he seems to have won the big prize — an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and his first recording under the new contract, a solo Chopin recital, was released this summer.
Deutsche Grammophon, a classical record label, was the foundation of PolyGram Corp. It is now part of Universal Music Group, and it is also Universal’s oldest active label as well as the oldest surviving established record company. This is the big time for Wunder.
It reminds me that no matter how talented someone is, there are always talented others as well, and everything is highly subjective, dependent on personal taste.
Therefore, there is never the best. There is only our best, and that’s enough to make me happy.
Linda Kelley of Rantoul writes a monthly column for the Rantoul Press on life experiences and family and social issues. She also writes a blog, which can be accessed at http://my-over-the-fence.blogspot.com/
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