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An Introduction to
Talent, Temperament, and Personality for Musicians
Janis Weller

Writing 250 years ago, musician Johann Joachim Quantz opened his famous essay, On Playing the Flute, with a chapter devoted to “Those Who Would Dedicate Themselves to Music.” In this chapter he outlines in great detail many of the talents, temperaments and personality traits necessary to achieve success as a musician in the courts of 18th century Europe. Interestingly, even though musicians of that time went through long apprenticeships similar to craftsmen and depended on wealthy patrons for much of their livelihood, the fundamental talents and proclivities remain much same today as then. Quantz suggests that musicians need,

“a particularly good talent, or natural gift…a lively and fiery spirit united with a soul capable of tender feeling; a good mixture, without too much melancholy, of what the scholars call the temperaments; much imagination, inventiveness, judgement, and discernment; a good memory; a good and delicate ear; a sharp and quick eye; and a receptive mind that grasps everything quickly and easily. (One) must be equipped with various physical endowments according to the nature of the instrument.”

After laying out these basic talents, or “primary foundations” upon which to build the budding musician, Quantz then goes on to describe important motivational attributes such as “industry and reflection,” “tractable rather than obstinate,” the ability to “seek zealously and eagerly” and practice “with much diligence.” The music student must be able to take criticism from others and use it constructively as well as being self-critical, he says. Further, Quantz states that even with good natural ability, instruction, industry and opportunities, the young musician may never rise above mediocrity without approaching music mindfully. “Industry founded upon ardent love and insatiable enthusiasm for music must be united with constant and diligent inquiry, and mature reflection and examination.” Quantz provides a succinct, thoughtful and enlightened description of the body-mind-spirit connections necessary to make a whole musician, one that is well aligned with the principles and spirit of the Whole Musician model.

Students who are aspiring to professional careers in music need opportunities to acquire levels of self-awareness and self-knowledge that enable them to make educational and life experience choices that can ultimately lead to satisfying, meaningful careers. A key element in this process is cultivating an understanding of one’s natural talents, abilities and gifts specific to skill acquisition and musicality, and then integrating that knowledge with aspects of temperament and personality to create a fuller, deeper self-portrait.

My view of vocational “success” can be defined as work that is meaningful, satisfying, and fulfilling, well suited to the particular individual’s strengths, interests and most of all, passions. That type of career is dependent on the ongoing development of innate abilities and aptitudes, none of which spring forth fully formed. A young musician can make appropriate choices for both educational options and future career aspirations through a combination of approaches. Self-awareness is vital, as is an awareness of and access to, the possibilities, expectations and opportunities in the field. Further, personal and organizational support structures are necessary for access and growth.

Success in any music career is usually dependent on a high level of persistence, resilience, and self-confidence, just a few of many vital temperament traits important to achieving personal career fulfillment. Desirable and ideal talents for various music careers along with temperament and personality traits appropriate for each path must be coupled with personal interests, training and experience. The potential breadth of these variables becomes vast when comparing the diverse personal and professional demands in the lives of a solo performer, orchestral musician, school band director, music therapist, or rock drummer, for example. But the truly good news in this diversity is the realization that there are viable options for an extraordinary range of abilities and personal styles.

It is important to acknowledge the distinctions between talents, temperament and personality even though our ultimate focus is on the integrated individual. Understanding one’s talents and how they relate to temperament and personality (including motivations, passions, interests, goals) can open a more mindful, self-aware perspective and greatly enhance the search for self-ness that leads toward true vocation. The issues are further enriched (and complicated) when considering that all the elements of talent, temperament and personality are dynamic, never static, always changing in response to new experiences, new learning and memories. The sciences of psychology and neuroscience have tended to examine these elements mainly as discrete entities and it is helpful to look at each individually before seeking to integrate them in a more holistic application.

In the attached lists describing traits of musicians, the column on the left endeavors to describe innate musical gifts of both fluid and crystallized intelligence and talent. Most musicians possess some degree of natural ability in each of these areas but vary widely on a continuum illustrating each trait. While I believe that the attributes in this column have a strong genetic basis and foundation, an individual’s full potential in each trait can only be reached through diligent study, practice, patience, and experience over time, not merely through an expression of raw ability. In fact, there are many people, who, whether due to lack of opportunity, support, or weak dynamic (motivational) traits, may not even realize they possess untapped abilities. Conversely, it is not uncommon to find wonderful talent squandered through lack of motivation, hyper sensitivity or even a temperament that is too laid back for the rigors of performance.

The temperament and personality traits on the right in this list are more of a work in progress at this point. Clearly, virtually no one would possess all of these traits or characteristics in abundance. However, plotting each one on a continuum could provide a more personalized view of a given individual. Attitudes are crucial in maximizing viable options and the possibilities of discovering, creating and achieving fulfillment. In addition, attitudes may well be an important expression of personality elements. This chart illustrates a broad range of attributes that could be further modified for specific paths within the field. Talent, Temperament and Personality will be discussed individually in a forthcoming article.

"Talents" Temperament / Personality
Body
  • Physical abilities
    Eye/hand coordination, fluidity, fluency & dexterity, ease
  • Independence of hands/fingers/feet
  • Suitability for a particular instrument
  • Physical resilience, endurance

Mind

  • Bright, quick learner
  • Aural abilities
    Pitch acuity, pitch memory, rhythmic sense; ability to remember, master and reproduce musical sequences;accurate singing voice
  • Analytical abilities
    Form, structure, theory, style
    Understanding of the whole as it unfolds in time—detail & whole
  • Creative abilities
    Composition, improvisation, interpretation
  • Strong short and long term memory

Spirit

  • Musicality
    Expressiveness
    Sense of pacing, timing, phrasing
    Originality—unique point of view
    Creativity—composition, interpretation, improvisation
    Sensitivity to emotional content; able to convey emotions musically
    Charisma—stage presence

Body / Mind / Spirit combined:

  • Consistent—able to reproduce passages accurately
  • Technically proficient, ability to glean composer intentions, perform convincingly
  • Mental and physical multi-tasking abilities
  • Ability to sight read proficiently
  • Organized with time/objects/systems

  • Self-confident—self affirming
  • Resilient—bounce back from disappointment, criticism, failure
  • Adaptable—to constantly changing expectations, ‘bosses’, routines, uncertainty
  • Persistent—ongoing daily practice, seeking opportunities
  • Dedicated—to the pursuit of excellence and “perfection”
  • Crave performing—spotlight or support
  • Nerves of steel—able to cope with high stress
  • Competitive—with self and others
  • Entrepreneur mentality—self-promoting, innovative, creative, networker
  • Self aware of abilities, limitations, personal/material/time needs
  • Balance of detail and big picture orientation
  • Leadership; team player/builder
  • Interpersonal skills—relationship builder
  • Ethical
  • Creative, flexible outlook
  • Risk taker—personally and musically
  • Willing to sacrifice as necessary
  • Tolerance for drill and repetition
  • Able to balance long hours of solitary practice with times of intense teamwork and ultimately, public performance
  • Process orientation contrasted by a very visible public product
  • Intellectual curiosity
  • “Earthiness,” “upper bohemian” style
  • Tolerant of high sound volumes

Copyright 2003 Janis Weller. All Rights Reserved

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