jim.while competence is necessary,it is not number one priority,number one priority is musicality.
my preference is for musicality with competence,but I would rather listen to a passionate musical performer who made one or two errors,than a competent but boring performer.
that does not mean I condone unpractised performances.
some of the traditional music I see on television,is competent but has had all the spontaneity driven out of it,because the producer has made the performers play the music ad nausaem so the cameraman can get good shots.