How to have a ‘gifted child’

If you believe that Wolfgang Mozart was born with a musical mind, you should first know about his father Leopold Mozart.

Before Wolfgang was born, Leopold was focused on becoming a famous musician and composer. He wrote and published an instruction book, “A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing.” For some time, Leopold had dreamt of becoming a great composer, but shifted his life course when he became a father. At that time he was already vice-kapellmeister (assistant music director), but making it to the top would take an unknown number of years.

Because of his desire to make some sort of lasting mark on music, Leopold decided to refocus his dream toward making his daughter Nannerl a big name in the field. In the 18th century, no one had yet ventured on teaching music to young children. Leopold happened to be centuries ahead of his time and taught music to his daughter using a method that became Shinichi Suzuki’s model in teaching violin to children.

With Leopold’s exceptional instruction method and the family’s attention and resources, Nannerl Mozart dazzled their community in playing the piano and violin at a young age.

Then came a boy named Wolfgang four and half years later. While still in his mother’s womb, Wolfgang was already listening to Nannerl’s music lessons and daily practice. Even then, his fetal brain was being bathed in piano and violin notes.

From the day Wolfgang was born, he had no choice but to become a music student. He got everything his sister had in terms of music instruction, but much earlier and more intensively. As soon as Wolfgang was able to sit up, he was there near the harpsichord, soaking all the notes that Nannerl played.

As a toddler, Wolfgang became fascinated with music, while his father became more obsessed with teaching him than his sister. Soon and openly, Leopold focused more on Wolfgang’s musical future over his daughter’s. He made a career change and decided to concentrate on his son’s possible financial gain.

Starting at age three, Wolfgang had the benefit of the whole family supporting and encouraging his musical skills. The father had expected his son to become their financial engine, and he did not disappoint. Wolfgang’s London to Mannheim performances when he was six to eight years old drew praises and pounds from admiring patrons.

Now let me tell you about another “gifted child.” You might have seen Yo-Yo Ma’s performances, or heard about him. For most of his admirers, he was born with a musical mind.

Only five years old and with a cello taller than him, Yo-Yo performed for US composer, conductor, pianist, and music educator Leonard Bernstein, and for US President John F. Kennedy when he was seven. Upon hearing Yo-Yo’s performance, Pablo Casals called him “wonder boy.”

But do you know Yo-Yo’s early childhood story?

His mother, Marina, was a trained opera singer, while his father, Hiao-Tsuin, was a music teacher, composer, and conductor. As young adults, Yo-Yo’s parents migrated to Paris from China. In France, they lived in poverty in a tiny two-room apartment. In one room, mother and her two children, Yo-Yo and Yeou-Cheng, slept. In the other smaller room, Hiao-Tsiun managed to stuff his piano, his collection of children’s musical instruments, manuscripts, music scores, an old armoire, and a cot.

Said Marina of her son: “From the cradle, Yo-Yo has been surrounded by a world of music. He heard hundreds of classical selections on records, or played by his father or sister. Bach and Mozart were engraved on his mind.”

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Leonardo Leonidas is a former assistant clinical professor in pediatrics (retired 2008) at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston.