GRAND ENCYCLOPEDIA OF VIOLA JOKES - Johnstone-music.com

Examination to become a professorat a Spanish Conservatoire:Christian Gómez, a viola player, applied for a chamber music post at the MadridConservatoire. An American violinist also applied for the same job, and as bothapplicants gave an equal demonstration of a chamber music class in front of theadjudicating panel, and had roughly the same qualifications, they were asked totake a short written test, given to them by the principal/director of the musicschool. Upon completion of the test both men had only missed one of thequestions. The principal went to Gómez and said:"Thank you very much for your interest, but we've decided to give the Americanthe job"Gómez: "And why would you be doing that? We both got nineteen questionscorrect of the twenty. This being Spain, and myself being Spanish, I really think Ishould get the job!"Principal: "Well, we have made our decisions not on the correct answers, but onthe question you missed."Gómez: "That’s unbelievable - terrible! Unfair! And anyway, just how would oneincorrect answer be somehow better than the other?"Principal: "Simple, Mr. Gómez, the American put down on question #9,‘I don't know’, and you put down … ‘Neither do I’ ” !!!