The Gradual Languish In Musical Talent

By Jennifer McDonald


There are many intriguing opportunities for high school students who play musical instruments. By the time students are in high school, most kids have played their instrument of choice for more than a few years. They have mastered a standard scale in all keys and can often sight-read music. High school students are given many opportunities to be tutors, camp counselors, international touring artists and more with their talents. These Musical talent opportunities can lead to college music scholarships, summer jobs, internships, recording contracts and more.

The studies that have been done on music and learning raise several interesting points. First, hearing is one of the first senses that becomes fully active after a baby is born. Not only is the hearing Centre optimized, but children are developing brain paths at an exponential rate. These are focusing on essential areas of cognitive ability, including speech, spatial relations, emotions and more.

I am not saying that musical geniuses no longer exist. I am certain that they are out there, but I don't see them presented or marketed to mass audiences. Without great gift, how can the music industry hope to revitalize sales and nurture new icons?

Back in 1967, when the Jimi Hendrix Experience had its first album Are You Experienced? On the British charts at number three, the Beatles at the same time had the number one spot. Can you possibly image such revolutionary albums being out today? And at the same time? Where is the music talent hiding - or languishing - and why does it not seem to be breaking out and catching on with mass audiences?

As parents, it's not hard to look at the facts and realize that music is good for your kids. However, not everyone is talented self-talented as far as music is concerned. In addition, it's not always recommended to begin regimented music lessons when a child is still quite young. While the brain may be able to handle the routine, it may be too much pressure for children before they are school-aged. However, like most things, there is no reason not to play with music, getting much of the same results.

The modern world of high speed internet, microwave ovens, fast cars, and Television creates expectations of instant results that are neither realistic nor sustainable when it comes to learning a difficult instrument such as the piano. Children and sometimes parents expect overnight results. This perception of learning is based on what C. Wright Mills calls a Sociological Imagination, or what I call a shared illusion about reality, learned mainly from TV and the movies.

When I was growing up in the 1980s, I would listen to the radio or watch MTV. When I heard something I liked, then I would probably buy it at the store. As I recall, MTV pretty much stopped showing music videos in the early 1990s. As for radio, most stations these days play oldies, classic rock, and light mixes. This is a profitable formula, but how is new music going to be marketed to a mass audience unless it is presented to a mass audience? When the Beatles were exploding on to the American scene, they were on the radio.

Teens with promising talent in music and who have demonstrated musical interest and have taken advanced training or have involved themselves in tours, camps and tutoring programs are often the first to receive music scholarships for college.




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