Phil Spressart:

>I understand Jeremey McMillan's frustration about the supposed connection
>between the ability to play an instrument (or instruments) and the apparent
>heightened intelligence.
>
>It might be because of the high expectations people place on us to perfect
>our art and the high level of discipline it requires that transfers to
>other parts of our life.  What do you think?

The last part doesn't hold, necessarily.  If you are highly disciplined
in some ways you may just need to let go in others.  But the high level
of mental disciple that is a part of playing well itself represents one
form that intelligence takes, it seems to me, especially if the discipline
is self-imposed.  (Eugene Ormandy once told a story about himself and his
father, who was so moody after one of Ormandy's concerts that the conductor
probed into the reason.  It wasn't the performance, nor was it the program,
his father said; it was just that he couldn't help thinking that if he had
only beaten Eugene harder when he was a boy he might have been the soloist
instead of the conductor!)

If Bill Pirkle is right when he says:

>My personal opinion is that ...playing of an instrument can be taught
>to nearly anyone interested.

then maybe the last phrase is the key and this might tend to support my
point.

Pirkle's claim that:

>Intelligence is less about how your brain works and more about
>what you choose to fill it with

is interesting.  It may be that the quality of judgment is indeed a sign
of intelligence, and explain why otherwise smart people sometimes do dumb
things.  It would open up that can of worms about whether some judgments
of taste are better, because brighter, than others, though.

Jim Tobin