I have some 4200 tracks on my iTunes, of which only a a couple 1000 or so I've listened to more than once. There's 600 I haven't listened to yet, either recent purchases or stuff that doesn't interest me much that ended up on the computer anyway.

Even at the slow rate that I collect music (4-7 albums a month), it is really hard to keep up with my listening. I mean, between practicing, composing, and random other pleasures, I simply don't have time to sit and listen very often, and some of those times I just want to listen to something I really enjoy.

Then of course there's all the concerts going on in the city, "new music" concerts, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Bargemusic ... there's so much to listen to, live and otherwise, it's very daunting. It's the one area I feel truly deficient in as a musician. (My knowledge of Mozart's music is pathetic to be honest) ...

In the end I've just had to say, "I can't listen to everything", and then just follow my ears, amassing a collection of music which I know I'll enjoy and mixing in music that I'm not completely sure about, plus music that I have to study for class ...

But yeah, there's always pangs of sadness at everything I know I'm missing.