Mel Broiles once claimed at my trumpet lesson that there is only one thing that separates a good student from a pro. Any Juilliard trumpet player, he said, is just as good as any top orchestral player with one exception. Experienced professionals are dependable, whereas students "trample the daisies", as he put it. There are probably many more differences between seasoned and non-seasoned players, but his simple emphasis on consistency was exactly what was needed that day. It was as if he yelled, "go home and practice, but stop missing notes!"
How can we expect a smooth-sailing recording session when our lack of control is a public problem? How can we deserve a rousing ovation at a concert or recital when we played well but missed dozens of notes?
At my sixth grade solo performance of Moss Rose, my younger brother could be seen in the front row constantly counting something on his fingers. When I asked him what he was counting, he said "all of your mistakes!"
Quality without accuracy is not quality.
