All very well, and it's The Truth, but it's not necessarily The Whole Truth. There are many aspects of Music, as with Life in general, that escape from the clutches of Competition. Whether that's a Good Thing or not is for individuals to appreciate; for my part, it's those elements that are the best bits. The sheer joy when it all comes together, either playing solo or in any ensemble, there are moments (often no more than moments..!) where one is uplifted, charmed, untouchable, and far above tawdry concerns of competition. OK, if there must be aspects of competition to be taken into account, at least on occasion, it would be a shame, and a waste, to only see the competitive side of things. Some are fine with this, of course, and maybe, for them, vying for the Top Spot is a goal in itself. It's not so for many; Humility can be a virtue, too (or does that compete with Ambition..?).