Music of the Self and Others—Longitudinal Observations on Musical Giftedness

There is only the dance.
T. S. ELIOT

SKILLED AND TALENTED MUSICIANS MUST FACE A CONUNDRUM EARLY IN their professional lives, if their art and person are to remain mutually supportive, lifelong companions. How is the performer to render his or her own, unique creativity publicly without violating or distorting its intimate, private origins and meanings?

This dilemma demands different solutions at each new developmental threshold. The natural exhibitionism of the prelatency child seems far removed from the image of the talented but addled adolescent who frets about the correctness of his attire, the obviousness of his perspiration, and the acniform eruptions on his chin. This image is in its turn equally remote from the warm, relaxed, expectant presence of the mature, acclaimed, adult performer whose entry on the stage simultaneously comforts and excites the audience. The adolescent tableau elicits a parental worry over the young artist's ability to control his art, his anxiety, and his technique. A successful performance engenders appreciation and relief. The latter image of the accomplished adult invites the audience to attend and enjoy, if not enjoin, a dialogue between artistic form and creative intimacy.