martin@dciem.UUCP (Martin Tuori) (02/01/84)
---
Tom Twiss asks:
... can a woman be a good musician without agressiveness, or i.e. can only
men or women with male traits be good musicians/presidents/astronauts/ ...
I think there are stereotypical assumtions hiding in the question, Tom.
How would you define a 'good musician'? Shall we define it in terms of
precise, controlled, (dare I say?) mechanical playing of classical
music, that should be listened to by a perfectly silent audience dressed
in evening wear? Shall we measure the quality of rock music (in part)
by the volume a band can crank out? These are the kinds of qualities
that I sometimes see used in measuring a person's performance, and it
disturbs me. I don't mean to suggest that these characteristics aren't
important; but so are feeling, and above all, an audience that's having
a good time.
There may well be behavioural differences between the sexes, originating
in biological differences. In discussing them, let's seek measures
that transcend the male-dominated and Victorian history from which
we are (hopefully) emerging.
--
Martin Tuori
{allegra,decvax,duke,floyd,linus}!utzoo!dciem!martin