Page 39 - How to Shine on Stage

creativity, and musical activities. Kovačič also calls for the need to over-
come the terminological inconsistency regarding the use of the terms
musical giftedness and musical talent, arguing that it is more accurate
to use the term musical talent, since, unlike musical giftedness, which is
based on innate, above-average musical abilities, musical talent is about
the nurturing of musical potentials by the social environment, especial-
ly by parents and teachers.
The distinction of talent from giftedness has been proposed by Gagnè
(1999, in Habe & Bratina, 2021), who suggests that giftedness can be under- 37
stood as the possession and use of untrained and spontaneously expressed
natural potentials, which place the individual in the top 10% of those with
above-average expression of potentials (Gagnè, 1999, in Habe & Bratina,
2021). Gagnè reports that sensorimotor abilities are the best predictor of
musical potential (1999, in Habe & Bratina, 2021). Talent emerges and de-
velops in direct interaction with the environment (Renzulli, 2005, in Bo-
gunović, 2010), which has been further elaborated in Mönks’ multifactor
model of giftedness (Mönks, 1992, in Bogunović, 2010) with respect to the
role of family, school, and peers. More recent studies on musical giftedness
and talent also examine cognitive, metacognitive, neuropsychological, Indirect Factors of Musical Performance Success
and socio-emotional characteristics in addition to creativity, motivation,
and aptitude (Robinson & Clinkenbeard, 2008).
McPherson and Williamson (2006, in Habe & Bratina, 2021) have
developed a differentiated model of musical giftedness and talent where
they identify at least eight areas of musical talent, namely performance,
improvisation, composition, arrangements, musical analysis, assess-
ment, conducting, and music teaching. There are several mediators in
the process of shaping musical giftedness into musical talent: interper-
sonal factors ( motivation, volition, self-control, personality and physical
characteristics), environmental factors (cultural environment, people,
events), and incidental opportunities (McPherson & Williamson, 2006,
in Habe & Bratina, 2021).
As far as musical giftedness—i.e. innate musical potential—is con-
cerned, musical giftedness researchers agree that the core of musical po-
tential is audiation, the internal mental auditory perception (Gordon,
1989, in Habe & Bratina, 2021). In contrast, Ellen Winner and Gail
Martino (2000) speculated that at the core of musical giftedness lies a
sensitivity to music structure—tonality, key, harmony, and rhythm—
and the ability to hear the expressive features of music.
Anica Arsić (2016) notes that musical potential does not guarantee
that an individual’s musical giftedness will develop into musical talent.