Are you playing the music? Or just playing the notes?

Last night was a surreal experience.

At the front of the audience was a stage where every musician for fifty kilometres took their turn in performing.

Teenage rock bands, a full orchestra, the local school, a choir, and naturally with this being France, a trio of accordionists, each stood on stage and delivered their recitals.

Some were incredible. Real musicians that made you FEEL the music. These musicians moved those of us in the crowd.

It felt smooth, and you could tell these were exquisite musicians.

The applause for them was both enthusiastic and sustained. 

Others hit all the right notes, but the entire crowd fell flat and became awkward listening to them.

The applause afterwards was a mere formality - “thank you for trying”.

The weird thing is, these musicians performed virtually every note on their sheet music correctly, yet something felt…off.

But how can that be? How can you play all the right notes at all the right times yet underperform?

One is trying to avoid making mistakes and not be noticed.

The other is a master of their craft, channelling not just the quavers and triplets written on the page, but something within themselves too.

One is imitating greatness - repeating what the formula for success they’ve seen elsewhere… the other is publicly displaying their journey to find it within themselves.

And you, the listener, can tell the difference. 

Are you simply just playing the 'right notes'?