Inevitably, after a few lessons the parent of a beginning music student will pull me aside to ask something like this: "Do you think Joey has any talent?" I find it ironic that as my own children begin to take lessons, whether in gymnastics, art, karate, or music, I find myself asking their instructors similar questions. As parents, when we ask these questions what is it that we really want to know? Are we asking if our child is going to succeed, perhaps even be offered college scholarships and make this avocation into a career? Where is that crystal ball when we need it? At a very basic level, what we really want to know is are we wasting precious time and money, or making a good investment in our child's future - and who could fault us for that?

Perhaps we need to discuss what constitutes “talent.” Talent can be defined as a natural ability or aptitude, and may even be referred to as a “gift.” I will admit that there are beginning students who seem blessed with what we might label “raw talent.” In other words, they learn quickly and easily. One might say they “take to music.” I have also taught students who struggled every inch of the way but loved music and aspired to make music. If I had to choose either for a student I suppose it would be the will or desire to study and perform music rather than the possession of raw talent. I believe it is these students who will benefit most from the experience of music and fully appreciate the art well into their adult lives.

Motivated students, either talented or not-so talented, will outlast any of their non-motivated counterparts. Motivated students come in two types: (1) the highly talented and (2) the less talented. Typically the highly talented and motivated student will progress more quickly, but will be followed in a close second by the less talented but highly motivated child.

There have been times in my life when someone has referred to me or another musician as being "gifted." This always amuses me and I wonder if these same individuals have any idea of the practical time, effort and training put into the specific musical performance that begets such a sense of mysticism. Often the end product that is seen through concert and performance is the result of far less exotic ingredients, such as sweat and effort rather than raw talent.

Why should children study music at all? There are many well-documented studies cited by music educators on the non-musical virtues of music instruction. These studies show how music students will fare better than their non-musical counterparts on math tests, and how music improves a child's self-esteem and teaches one to work independently within a group. These benefits are noteworthy (pun intended). However, as a music teacher I believe that music should and does stand on its own as a subject matter. Music as an art transcends everyday normal experiences and has the ability to encapsulate the uniqueness of being human. It is a part of our daily lives and culture, and it surrounds us everywhere we go. The study and expression of music are essential to our lives.

Any child, talented or not, who yearns to make music should be allowed to experience the art in whatever capacity that is meaningful to his/her life and future. I say all this to help parents realize that the study of music should not be limited to the “talented” and “gifted” few. The study of music should be accessible to every child who desires to make music and make it his/her own.

This article was brought to us by our friends at Creative Child Online.