[RightWhale]

Here's something that may or may not be interesting:
Highly artistic people come from all over the world to this little town to participate in a fairly high cultural level of art happenings. Sometimes we get a compliment like this one from a highly cultured, cosmopolitan Euro--'I have been regularly attending community events such as this everywhere, and you are as good as any.' That was about a community chamber orchestra, but we have some decent local rock bands, bluegrass, blues, jazz, and various ethnic style bands, too.

The point, I guess, is that not all Euros are so provincial as the author of the article.

[Chad Fairbanks]

What's worse is that this guy was born an American - then ended up in Europe. So, he is probably so provincial because of his guilt for being born an American. It's the only way he can salve the wounds he feels about not being a Real European...

;0)

[monday]

"'I have been regularly attending community events such as this everywhere, and you are as good as any.' "

lol... which could mean you are as 'bad' as any, if they were all bad.

His was probably an objective opinion however. One CAN make an objective judgment about the technical capability of a musical performance.

I doubt he was making a judgment about the artistry of the performance like Grim was doing in this article.

Artistic judgments are completely subjective and unless you share the artistic sensibilities of the critic making the judgment, are completely worthless. Tastes vary too greatly and there is no way to prove that one type of music is objectively BETTER than another.