Talent as Giftedness
When we hear the word “gifted” in connection with music, a musical prodigy immediately comes to mind.
Musical Prodigies
Here are the examples of musical prodigies:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Austria)
A highly prolific Classical Period composer, at the age of 3, he already started picking out chords on the harpsichord. Following on at 4 years old, he begun to play short pieces and 5 years old, started to compose short piano pieces which eventually led him to a music composer in his own rights, at that period of his life.
Yo - Yo Ma (United States of America)
A cellist, Yo - Yo Ma is a child prodigy, performing at the age of 4 and 1/2 years old. Performed as a soloist with orchestras around the world, he has also recorded more than 90 albums with 18 Grammy Awards under his belt. He also initiated an Ensemble called The Silk Road Ensemble, which mainly promotes multicultural artistic exchange through collaboration with other artists and cultural institutions around the world.
2. Recognizing Musical Talent
The next few pointers are characteristics you can look out for in your child to recognize their musical talent!
A) Aptitude and Ability
- Can remember and respond to subtle changes in melody, rhythm and beats on a piece of music.
- Can identify individual sounds in context.
- Heightened emotional response.
- Performs with accuracy and ease; learns quickly.
B) Creative Interpretation
1. Enjoys making up sounds and manipulating melodies and rhythms on his/her own.
2. High sense of musical awareness over a piece of music.
3. Performs and reacts to music with personal expression - shows a complete self-involvement in music.
C) Commitment
1. Shows high resilience and perseverance during a musical activity.
2. Strives to refine musical ideas and setting intrinsic goals of motivation for self-improvement.