Wisdom from Conservatory Faculty: Insights on Success in Classical Music Performance What does it take to become a successful performer of Western classical music in the USA today? What factors, beyond technical proficiency and musicality, come into play?

In this article we focus on the perspectives from faculty at three world-renowned classical music conservatories and compare the wisdom about career success gained from gatekeepers with that gained from faculty. In sum, faculty and gatekeepers tend to agree overall on the developmental stages of musical abilities turning into competencies, expertise, and final high-level scholarly productivity or artistry (SP/A).

Because teachers interact with a broader range of musical talents than gatekeepers, they sometimes have a more nuanced perception of the mediating variables that enable a musician to progress from one stage to the next.

Theoretical Framework The broad theoretical framework for this study is Sternberg’s triarchic theory of successful intelligence. We hypothesize that success is associated with exercising analytical, creative, and practical abilities. Musicians need analytical abilities to read a sheet of music, creative abilities to perform pieces in novel but appropriate ways that distinguish them from other performers, and practical abilities to know what kinds of creative innovations are likely to be well received by the public and which are not.

Three Theoretical Premises Abilities are forms of developing expertise; in other words, abilities can be enhanced. Further on in this paper we will describe which mediating variables enable abilities to develop into expertise. Beyond the level of expertise exists the realm of elite talent or what we call scholarly productivity or artistry (SP/A). In the course of transition from novice to expert and beyond, some mediating variables increase in importance and others decrease.

Beliefs Abilities result from the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental components, yet are modifiable and can be developed into competences and expertise through modifying variables. Abilities are necessary but not sufficient for generating expertise of SP/A. Finally, we view giftedness in adulthood as SP/A, taking the form of unique contributions to a field or domain.

What We Learned from Previous Research The study focusing on talent development in the domain of classical music compares the responses of three groups of participants: students, teachers (the emphasis of this article), and gatekeepers (i.e., individuals who are influential in determining the success of aspiring artists, such as artistic directors or critics). Each group was asked to comment on the relative importance of 16 factors in early, middle (typically, conservatory), and later (professional) stages in a classical performer’s career.

Data collected from gatekeepers were consistent with the three initial premises stated in the theoretical framework above, as gatekeepers agreed that:

Abilities can be developed into expertise and, beyond that, elite talent, and that the respective weights of the factors contributing to this development shift over time, especially variables associated with practical intelligence or social skills. Students and aspiring professionals would benefit from established professionals and gatekeepers making their tacit knowledge of what matters for a successful career more explicit.

Gatekeepers perceived some factors contributing to elite music performance as innate. Specifically, musicality and charisma were perceived as factors that can be enhanced but not taught. In other words, they need to be present in the student in order to develop in a favorable environment.

What we did To date we have collected data from 20 faculty, 59 students, and 8 gatekeepers in three areas of classical music (brass, string, and voice). According to our contacts at the conservatories, the string department was made up on students with similar experience and backgrounds. In contrast, the brass and voice departments draw students from diverse backgrounds and preparation.

What we found Learn quickly and analyze patterns and structures Technical proficiency Parental support or pressure Teachability Quality of the student-teacher experience External rewards Persistence through good and bad times

Intrinsic motivation Knowing one’s own strengths and weaknesses Self-promotion and knowing how to play the game Social skills Self-confidence Risk taking Musicality Charisma

Summary and Implications