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The role of practice in the development of performing musicians
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1996
Year
MusicEducational PsychologyMusic Teacher EducationEducationMusic PsychologyMusicologySkilled PerformanceYoung PeopleStudent SuccessEducational StatisticsAdolescent LearningPerformance StudiesSecondary EducationMusical AnalysisPerforming ArtsEducational AssessmentArtsIndividual Instrumental TuitionMusic Teacher ResearchAchievement MotivationHigh AchieversMusic History
The study interviewed 257 young musicians (ages 8–18) about their playing history, and had 94 of them keep 42‑week practice diaries, enabling estimates of time spent on formal and informal practice across a wide spectrum of achievement levels. Results showed a strong positive correlation between formal practice and musical achievement, weaker links with informal playing, no evidence that high performers need less practice, and that consistent, morning‑focused technical practice characterizes high achievers, supporting the view that formal effortful practice is the main determinant of success.
A sample of 257 young people aged between eight and 18 who had undertaken individual instrumental tuition were interviewed in depth about their performing history from the start of playing. A subset of 94 of these individuals also kept a practice diary for a 42‐week period. The data collected allowed estimates to be calculated of the amount of time devoted to various types of practice and other activities. The sample was selected in order to encompass a wide range of levels of musical achievement, from pupils at a highly selective specialist music school through to individuals who had abandoned instrumental study after less than a year of formal instruction. Data about formal examination successes confirmed the very wide range of achievement in the sample. It was discovered that there was a strong relationship between musical achievement and the amount of formal practice undertaken. Weaker relationships were discovered between achievement and amount of informal playing. There was no evidence that high achievers were able to gain a given level of examination success on less practice than low achievers. High achievers tended to be more consistent in their pattern of practice from week to week, and tended to concentrate technical practice in the mornings. These data lend strong support to the theory that formal effortful practice is a principal determinant of musical achievement.