Like a clear draught of water.

Every once in a while we experience something sublime, a breath of fresh air that sweeps away the cobwebs that cloud our vision, that rids us of the despair which accumulates from too much mediocrity, the feeling that this is as �good as it gets�. I had one of those experiences last night.

We went to hear a piano trio, that is piano, violin and cello, at the music department as part of our in-house series, recorded by Radi0Canada, so you know they had to be good. They played a programme of Mozart, Brahms and Dvor�k and were so absolutely tight as an ensemble, technically excellent and musically expressive that I was enthralled throughout. If they made any mistakes, I didn�t hear them. Their tone was beautiful, and even though at the reception afterwards I learned that this was their first time playing together, it sounded as though they were old friends who had been an ensemble for years. Breathtaking.

I pity all those students who chose to go bar hopping instead. They have no idea, really. The music department puts on these concerts for them, admission being free for all students (it used to be just music students, but we changed that policy to try to increase audience size), but they don�t take advantage of them, even with the concert-attendance requirement in their grade. Oh well. I must admit that as a student I was not a great concert goer either. Ignorance, I suppose. They will learn. I did.

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