When I played the upright bass, my strongest assets were my intonation and rhythm. In the eyes of some judges, however, my left hand position on the bass left something to be desired. I usually didn't curve my left hand properly on the bass because it was uncomfortable. Because I played in tune and in time, however, I never understood why it mattered. One judge at a solo/ensemble festival in high school noted his dislike of my left hand position three times. On the evaluation sheet, he wrote, "Your left hand position is bad," and "The next time you go to a professional symphony concert, watch the left hand position of every player, and copy it!" Even when praising my intonation, he couldn't resist slamming my left hand. "Considering the way you hold your left hand, your intonation is quite good," he wrote.
Reading that qualified compliment taught me what a left-handed compliment was. Nevertheless, my left hand remained defiant, as I continued to play in tune and in time.
