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Artistic skill cannot be learned. Technical skill, whether in the visual or musical arts, can be taught, but artistic skill and technical skill are worlds apart. The child who is forced to take piano lessons from an early age until he or she is a teenager may demonstrate a high level of technical skill, may be able to sight read the "intermediate" literature, and may even enjoy playing. But the level of artistic skill a student demonstrates is equal to the depth of his or hers natural affinity for the instrument. The proper performance of piano pieces, no matter of what level of difficulty, requires interpretation. Merely mechanically playing the right notes in the correct tempo may resemble the piece being played, but it is not true music. True music springs from the heart of the performer. The level of artistic skill of a performance is demonstrated by the depth of the emotional reactions felt in the heart of the listener. It's the same in all of the arts. A technically trained draftsman may produce an exact copy of a great painting. A forged "Mona Lisa" may have a smile, but Leonardo's smile haunts and captivates the observer.

This natural artistic ability is not always discovered in an individual. Depth of desire sometimes is an indication of talent, but that talent is not always explored. When demonstrated by a child, sadly, it is often discouraged as a pointless or unprofitable pursuit. And unfortunately, this reflects the priorities of our society as a whole.

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