Prodigies Johann Sebastian Bach Famously
Order ID:89JHGSJE83839 Style:APA/MLA/Harvard/Chicago Pages:5-10 Instructions:
Prodigies Johann Sebastian Bach Famously
played down any “natural talent” when
he said, “I was obliged to work hard. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed just as well.” Others disagree with his assessment.
David Henry Feldman, writer of Nature’s Gambit, a book that studies the development of human prodigies, cites many instances of talented chil- dren who showed an intense interest in their
special field from an extremely young child age. One of the subjects of Feldman’s studies was Nils Kirkendahl (not his real name) who showed an interest in music before age 3 and was
spellbound by hearing Tchaikovsky recordings before his third birthday. By his fourth birthday, he seemed to have an intuitive understanding of the music, one which was strikingly differ- ent
from the other children in his Suzuki class.1
I spoke to some adults who were gifted as children, to understand more about their experiences. Kim, a violin- ist from West Chester, Pennsylvania, said, “I loved anything and everything violin. I loved listening to any style of
Judy Judge is a Melbourne, Australia, based writer with a spe- cial interest in music. She sings with a number of community vocal groups and enjoys performing to anyone who’ll listen! She would have loved to have been a child prodigy, but, sadly, wasn’t.
14 APRIL/MAY 2009
Musical Talent
Born Genius? By Judy Judge
“
Features:Features 3/9/09 12:02 PM Page 14
AMERICAN MUSIC TEACHER 15
it, classical or fiddle, and I liked to per- form for my family and friends.” Kim began playing at 4, had a first solo at a concert at 7, joined the “Select Strings” group at 9 and was first chair in the
school orchestra at 11.
David Helfgott, the subject of the film Shine is one of Australia’s most well-known child prodigies. He was not so dramatically attuned to music at a young age though, says his sister, Margaret in
her book Out of tune. For the first few years of music lessons, he was completely incapable of distin- guishing one note from another. But by age 8, he showed a dramatic and excep- tional
change in ability where every- thing fell into place. From then on he had an absolute passion for the piano, never needing to be told to practice and rushing home from school to play. Helfgott
says her brother was “com- pletely in love with the piano from the minute he could touch the keys. He was both entranced and seduced by the sounds it could produce.”2
Characteristics Of Gifted Children Being “in love” with music is com-
mon in talented children. Hypersensitivity to sound is another indication of a child prodigy-in- progress. Mozart was physically ill if exposed to loud sounds, sometimes described as having “sensitive ears.” Yehudi Menuhin, at age 4, broke his toy violin because it would not “sing.” This may have been an indication of an early intense interest in musical and environmental sounds, and a sophisti- cated sense of “goodness” of timbre
The characteristics common to chil- dren who show “natural potential to achieve” described by Gary McPherson and Aaron Williamon4 include intellec- tual skills that allow for fluid reasoning
and abstract thinking to develop and the ability to think divergently, use inventiveness, imagination and origi- nality. Children must have a certain socio-affective perceptiveness, with skills including tactfulness, leadership abilities and use of persuasion. Also present should be well-developed sen- sory skills: visual, auditory, smell and touch. Motor skills including strength, endurance, good reflexes and coordina- tion will be highly developed.
Sensitivity to the structure (tonality) of music, key, harmony and rhythm and the ability to hear the expressive qualities of music is another core ability in children with musical talent.5 This allows them to remember, play back, transpose, improvise and create music. Mozart began composing at age 5.
Other skills may be the ability to sing back heard songs earlier than other children––perhaps even before they talk. Normally this occurs at about 2 years. Some children can match pitches by their second year and often after one listening.
Rose, from Ypsilanti, Michigan, was considered a child vocal prodigy in her early years. She said, “I was singing (and on key) as soon as I could talk, which was sometime around 1 year of age. My mother told me that once, when she was sitting at a lunch count- er with me as an infant, some classical music came over the radio speakers and I started to cry. The person next to her said ‘that’s a sign that your child will be a musician.’”
Nature Or Nurture? Are these skills inborn or learned?
Giftedness certainly requires some phys- ical innate skill, such as “having a good ear,” and the ability to physically play a certain instrument, for example having a good-sized hand span, good physical coordination or even hypersensitivity to music from a young age. Certain condi- tions must still prevail if this child’s musical skill is to be developed.
Human beings are born with the potential to be “musical,” argues John Sloboda, director of the unit for the study of musical skill and development,
Keele University, United Kingdom, in his 2005 book Exploring the Musical Mind.6 He says that evidence for inher- itance of differences in specific intellec- tual and mental characteristics is very hard to find. No specific gene has been found that indicates high IQ. He believes orientation towards sound is likely to be a universal and natural fea- ture of all human beings and that posi- tive musical experiences influence how children develop musically.
In a detailed study on the motiva- tional factors affecting musical learn- ing, it was found that children can have motivational orientation or “resis- tance to failure.” Some will use failure as a motivation to do better (mastery orientation) and some use it to stop them making an effort (helpless orien- tation).7
What else influences musical talent?
Prodigies Johann Sebastian Bach Famously
Prodigies Johann Sebastian Bach Famously
RUBRIC
Excellent Quality
95-100%
Introduction 45-41 points
The background and significance of the problem and a clear statement of the research purpose is provided. The search history is mentioned.
Literature Support
91-84 points
The background and significance of the problem and a clear statement of the research purpose is provided. The search history is mentioned.
Methodology
58-53 points
Content is well-organized with headings for each slide and bulleted lists to group related material as needed. Use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance readability and presentation content is excellent. Length requirements of 10 slides/pages or less is met.
Average Score
50-85%
40-38 points
More depth/detail for the background and significance is needed, or the research detail is not clear. No search history information is provided.
83-76 points
Review of relevant theoretical literature is evident, but there is little integration of studies into concepts related to problem. Review is partially focused and organized. Supporting and opposing research are included. Summary of information presented is included. Conclusion may not contain a biblical integration.
52-49 points
Content is somewhat organized, but no structure is apparent. The use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. is occasionally detracting to the presentation content. Length requirements may not be met.
Poor Quality
0-45%
37-1 points
The background and/or significance are missing. No search history information is provided.
75-1 points
Review of relevant theoretical literature is evident, but there is no integration of studies into concepts related to problem. Review is partially focused and organized. Supporting and opposing research are not included in the summary of information presented. Conclusion does not contain a biblical integration.
48-1 points
There is no clear or logical organizational structure. No logical sequence is apparent. The use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. is often detracting to the presentation content. Length requirements may not be met
You Can Also Place the Order at www.collegepaper.us/orders/ordernow or www.crucialessay.com/orders/ordernow