Existential Angst

...or, audition prep.

One of my grade 12s - who I've taught, like, forever - had an audition on Thursday.  Once she'd played me her pieces in her lesson on Wednesday, I had to decide if I should make her work on them a lot more, or accept where they (and she) were at, and talk brain.  We talked brain.  Part of the conversation went like this:

Me: If you want to work in the arts, be warned - you'll have many years of existential angst.
Girl: ummm?
Me: You know, when you think you should be a lawyer or a doctor, or something that really helps people.
Girl: Well, music helps people.

Yay!  My work is done.  If only more people recognised this fact.
And, as an added bonus, this girl was offered a place in this course straight away.  Very proud teacher.