Not Impressed!
I never was terribly impressed with Butler University, except of course that it's an expensive school for rich kids that either weren't interested in Ivy League schools, or simply couldn't cut it financially or mentally. I've always respected their music programs though, and their support of the fine arts...until yesterday. We went to hear the student body's Wind Symphony, with very unflattering results. Nobody seemed "with it" and raw talent was definitely absent. All I could sit there and think was how amazing the children were at Purcell School of Music during a recital, and how they easily compared with professonals, then compare them to students 10 years older blatting their way through pieces.

I think partly the problem was that the modern pieces themselves were lacking the luster of the old classics, but their performance of a beautiful Bassoon piece was not much better, I'll give credit for the professor that played very well though.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh comparing 8 year old Purcell students to 18 year old "normal university" students; I just originally higher expectations. I've attended plenty of professor recitals and greatly enjoyed them. Perhaps all the student talent is off to Juilliard and the RAM :)

I try to avoid negative posts, but I'm not doing well.