--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm often surprised by classical music…" description: "\"I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've met a large number of them because my wife works for the Boston Symphony, and I'm in that wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/james-taylor-2045_boston_i-m-often-surprised-by-classical-music-a_214610.jpg" --- # I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've… ![“I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've met a large number of them because my wife works for the Boston Symphony, and I'm in that world a lot now. I'm surprised at how difficult it is for people who are classically trained to read music or to memorize music, how difficult it is…” quote by James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/james-taylor-2045_boston_i-m-often-surprised-by-classical-music-a_214610.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/james-taylor-2045_boston_i-m-often-surprised-by-classical-music-a_214610.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c5/james-taylor-2045_boston_i-m-often-surprised-by-classical-music-a_214610.jpg) > “I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've met a large number of them because my wife works for the Boston Symphony, and I'm in that world a lot now. I'm surprised at how difficult it is for people who are classically trained to read music or to memorize music, how difficult it is for them to improvise, to just go off and play. It's sort of, it's like terra incognita. They just, (makes noise) they don't get it.” [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Classically trained musicians often struggle with reading, memorizing, and improvising music, making it feel unfamiliar. **In simple terms:** Classical musicians find improvisation hard. Key Takeaway Practice improvisation to broaden musical skills. Themes music learning creativity Mood reflective inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - music lessons - rehearsals - studio sessions - educational workshops Key Concepts cognitive load musical literacy improvisation Questions to Reflect On - How can classical training incorporate improvisation? - What exercises improve spontaneous musical expression? A Different Perspective Improvisation requires different mental pathways than classical training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [Classical music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) [Large numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-numbers/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I don't read music. I don't write it. 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Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [Fogs are like dreams that feed the soul, and without their mysterious embrace, childhood, courtship, poetry and the composition of music become all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/fogs-are-like-dreams-that-feed-the-soul-and-without-their-mysterious/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [I grew up on Bach and Beethoven, and now I'm listening to more modern composers who I can't even name. But since I'm constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-grew-up-on-bach-and-beethoven-and-now-i-m-listening-to-more-modern/) [A. R. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirel-wagner/i-think-all-kinds-of-music-are-being-made-no-one-hears-them-there-s/) Mirel Wagner > [Especially in repetitive music, to make a long piece of music you have to be extremely skilled in your sleight of hand. Just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/especially-in-repetitive-music-to-make-a-long-piece-of-music-you-have/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [I've found in composing that being simple and profound—having in-depthness in your music—is the most difficult thing to do. Anybody can write a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-silver/i-ve-found-in-composing-that-being-simple-and-profound-having-in/) [Horace Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-silver/) > [I listen to music all the time, and I just choose things I like, or things that I've not used before. Sometimes I work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-mcgregor/i-listen-to-music-all-the-time-and-i-just-choose-things-i-like-or/) [Wayne McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-mcgregor/) > [Today, there's so many different types of music out there that it's difficult to keep up. Things do change; it's only natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dusty-hill/today-there-s-so-many-different-types-of-music-out-there-that-it-s/) [Dusty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dusty-hill/) ## More by James Taylor > [Something I do love about social media is how you can expand your idea. You can make an extension of your art as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/something-i-do-love-about-social-media-is-how-you-can-expand-your/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [I don't build no heathen temples, where the Lord has done laid a hand. 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While it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/priests-like-all-of-us-are-affected-by-culture-when-the-culture-is/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) [Browse all 787 Boston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm often surprised by classical music and musicians. I've met a large number of them because my wife works for the Boston Symphony, and I'm in that world a lot now. I'm surprised at how difficult it is for people who are classically trained to read music or to memorize music, how difficult it is for them to improvise, to just go off and play. It's sort of, it's like terra incognita. 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