Talent

My son, who is 12 years old, has recently become fascinated with a talented young pianist named Josh Wright. He got his album for Easter, and we have all been enjoying it. Last week, I attended BYU Women's Conference, and Josh performed at a concert with several other artists and was nothing short of AMAZING!! I'm sure you have experienced occasions where people give standing ovations out of courtesy, slowly standing up because the person next to them is. Well, after Josh finished playing a moving rendition of La Campanella, the entire audience leaped to their feet without even thinking. It was THAT good. In fact, I don't know that I have ever experienced something of that caliber before - where people are simply moved to their feet, almost instinctively. You can watch him play that amazing song on two grand pianos using the link right above this post.

Now back to my son. . .

He has always been fascinated by the piano. Even as a baby, he would sit on the bench or a lap and "play" for long periods of time without ever getting tired of it. When he was about 18 months old, we bought him a miniature toy piano with a bench and he would run out there first thing in the morning and call for help because he couldn't get onto the bench alone. When he was four, we finally got a piano of our own, and he would often sit and play by ear things he had heard on the radio or at church. He could pick out the melody to those songs almost effortlessly, and would then add his own chords on the left hand, instinctively knowing if they sounded good or not. He would change things up until he found something that was actually musical. My husband was in school at the time and we could not afford to get him into lessons until he was seven. He is doing well in his musical studies, but I feel like he could be doing so much better if given the right opportunity. The entire time I was watching Josh Wright perform, all I could think about was how my son has the potential to do something similar, if he was dedicated and worked really hard. He actually sent Josh an email the other day, to which Josh graciously responded. He told him of how he practiced 2 and a half hours a day when he was 12, and that early work and dedication is necessary if you want to be a concert pianist in such a competitive industry. He told him of all the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that it would take, but also of how it was possible. We have always known that our talented young son was given the gift of music - a gift that has the potential to influence countless people. Music can touch people and bring the spirit to a situation in a way that words often cannot. But, here's where I get a little confused. . .

I know that we are all given gifts and talents for a reason, and we have the responsibility to develop them and make them useful. Do I, however, encourage my 12 year old son to start down a path that will, in large measure, dictate how he will spend most of his free time? If he wants to follow in Josh's footsteps, which he says he does, his will be a life of dedication to music, at the expense of other things. He would sacrifice much on that path. He has other talents and interests that would have to be put aside, at least temporarily. However, he does, I believe, have the natural talent and the potential to be extraordinary if he chooses to take that path. But, what is my role?

Do I leave this call up to him, or it is ultimately a decision that we make together?

Do I take him to an amazing teacher (recommended by Josh) who teaches a hour from my house, and charges 3-4 times what I am currently paying for lessons (although Josh assures me that he will learn more from one hour with this teacher than he will with 20 hours from the typical neighborhood piano teacher)?

What will that kind of a commitment due to the dynamic of the rest of my family? Will the other kids also have to sacrifice things they would like to do in order to support their brother?

I do believe that we probably need to find a new teacher who is more experienced in working with more advanced students. (His current teacher teaches mostly beginners). But, I could find somebody closer to home who could still inspire him and push him, but probably not to the same level or outcome. My question is simply how much time, energy, and effort should be invested into this talent? He could take the hard route and dedicate his life to music, and be amazing. Or, he could take the more well rounded route, spend as much time as he wanted in the study of music, still become very good, but perhaps not as good as he could potentially be. That route would be easier for sure, and give him opportunities to explore other interests as well. He could definitely still use that talent to touch other lives, but perhaps not in the same way. . .

Am I ready to support him in whatever he chooses, or do I lead him in one direction or the other? I'm just not sure. . .