Virtuosity

A belated post....

Today, I will explore the notion of virtuosity and what it means to me.  Let's start with the Oxford Dictionary Online's (ODO) definition of a virtuoso: "a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit."  Seems simple enough, but when talking about new words or ideas, I find it instructive to consider the edges.  No one would argue against applying the appellation to Yehudi Menuhin, Arthur Rubinstein, or Jacqueline du Pré, so heaping more praise on them does little to clarify anything.  But what about soloists less celebrated?  Do they deserve the designation?  Is skill all that matters or does depth of expression make a difference?  What about dancers, authors, or painters?  Why are we more likely to proclaim a poet a genius than a virtuoso?