Amo, Amas, Amat: For Amateurs, It’s All About Love

“A couple of centuries ago, to call a classical musician an amateur was to pay him or her a compliment. In present-day usage, an amateur is a dilettante who dabbles in the arts without the necessary skills or understanding. But the term dilettante has itself been demoted from its original meaning of a person who delights in the arts. How many ‘professional’ musicians truly delight in the music they are paid to produce?”