This article examines recognition relations between students and teachers in Finnish music schools. The research is based on written texts by music school students. The texts are analysed for difficulties in recognition relations, namely, hindrances to recognition in music schools. In the texts, some of the respondents describe situations that can be analysed as hindrances to recognition. The author analyses four different types of recognition-related problems in the data, the main issue being a tension between caring for people (respecting them) and promoting musical values (emphasising esteem). In addition to discerning problems, the article attempts to alleviate this tension. This might be achieved if different kinds of excellence, rather than just one, were to be developed in music schools. Students' different abilities and motivations might then have a chance to emerge. Caring for people in the context of studying music would mean helping them to find the musical values they can and want to promote.