Everything Else
At the end of April, I travelled to Dubai to observe a violin competition. It was a commission for which I was profoundly unqualified, except in one regard: I wanted to visit Dubai. The editor of a classical music website got in touch to offer me a place on the trip after another freelancer dropped out. My lack of musical knowledge would not, he explained, be a hindrance. In fact, it might even help. The aim of the commission was not to evaluate the performances, but to report on what happened,