ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a study which investigated events that have influenced the careers and lives of a group of talented musicians. It examines in particular the transitional phase from training to professional life. The chapter considers important implications for the education of talented musicians, and methodologically, showing how individuals can be traced over a long period of time. It begins with a review of literature that will consider the impact of external influences rather than speculate about the possibility of inherited talents. Research into musical development has focused primarily on the early years, considering environmental factors that contribute to the child's motivation to continue their instrumental studies. Theories of the development of talent suggest that the individual has changing and adaptable needs as they grow older. Some psychologists suggest that development may end in late adolescence, believing that early development provides the individual with the necessary traits to deal with changes in later life.
