Do talented musicians need education?

him that if Michael Jackson had been to school for long, he would have planned his life differently.
That, however, made me think and I asked myself “Do talented musicians need to bother with education?” I looked back to the days of many talented musicians who did very well without the interference of school.
Bob Marley, a reggae icon and legend who emerged from the ghettos in Jamaica, sang “Could you be loved?” where some of the lyrics went something like this: “Don’t let them fool you. Oh no! They’ll even try to school you, Oh no!”.
Pink Floyd, an English band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music, used some philosophical lyrics in their hit song “Another Brick In The Wall” which topped the US and UK charts in 1979. Some of the lyrics went like this: “We don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom. Teacher leave them kids alone. Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone. All in all you are just another brick in the wall”.
In a way, I guess Pink Floyd were justified in claiming that education was of no use for those who have talent for they became extremely successful.
But why do already successful people ask universities for honorary degrees? The short answer to that is that they must feel that something is missing in their lives. Education, to them, will give them extra respect.
An honorary degree is often conferred as honour without the usual requirements of classroom performance. It does not even give one the knowledge required at that level, yet many people who have not received systematic instruction from school in order to develop their intellectual abilities or earned a degree through the normal channels crave for it.
Talent, on the other hand, is a special aptitude or gift one possesses with or without training such as the ability to play music.
There are some of us who believe that an individual is geared for success based on education or talent.
However, there are several examples in our society, which illustrate that a rounded individual is what attracts success. What is important is that we examine whether we can separate education from talent.
This may prove futile, as one has to possess a certain amount of talent in order to garner a level of quality education.
A discussion of this nature also calls into question the definition of success. When we talk of success, are we speaking of financial excess or can it be clearly left to a personal goal?
Hence, in a conversation we are brought to the topic of goals, and the relevant ends and means we aspire for and utilise.
There is ample literature on goals; both setting them and attaining them in any aspect of our lives. However, as we gain more experience we acknowledge that education – though not just a quantitative concept – does not guarantee one’s success but rather it is seen as a catalyst to increase the probability of success.
With an educated brain, one can work out ways of becoming successful in the way we understand success today.
Talent, regardless of the field, always seems to bring faster gratification to the person. We have talented artistes we admire in our society, the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, Alick Macheso, Winky D and so forth who have in the eyes of many achieved their goal through sheer talent without academic education.
Is that not success?
However, like academics talent also requires hard work, sacrifice and determination.
Sadly, in many spheres the perception is shared that one cannot possess both talent and education. That is nonsense. I am a living example where I nurtured my talent as a musician for many years and then became an academic afterwards. Both can function together very well.
The flaws of such thinking begs one to wonder whether or not societies find persons both educated and talented anomalies rather than promote and inspire individuals to achieve a realisation of both. Hence, at this point we clearly decide that it is not that one is a better option but that having both open windows of opportunities and perhaps a more fulfilling life.
It is established that while not every person performs their talent on a public scene, everyone has a talent and this enables them to explore a balanced life.
For many in school, they are faced with the decision of going the academic route or pursuing a “talent” based career. Hence, we take the time to understand the elements, which attract us most in either realm. The best advice for anyone is to prepare yourself for almost anything your life may offer.
Right now, I am confronted by a student who has reluctantly been enrolled in theatre arts at the University of Zimbabwe. He hates it because his mother thinks there is no future career prospects. I disagree. He will get somewhere if he takes his studies seriously. After all, why was such a programme mounted? I began playing in a band at the age of 10. At the time it was taboo to see a youngster of that age taking music seriously and playing in a band. All my neighbours used to complain about it to my parents.
Fortunately for me, I had encouraging and understanding parents who often told me that as long as I did not neglect my studies, they would leave me to do what I wanted. That got me thinking and it opened a new chapter in my life. I had no intention of letting my parents down. I made sure that I studied both the arts (music) and academics (education). My advice to anyone today is, do not neglect your studies or your talent. Enhance them as much and as sensibly as possible.
Since then I have realised that music has powerful effects and can be used as a vehicle for getting in touch with previously unexpressed aspects of oneself.
Even politicians in Zimbabwe today have come to this realisation. Look at Elliot Manyika singing “Norah”, Jonathan Moyo penning songs for Pax Afro and lately Webster Shamu in “Jesus Be A Fence” and President Mugabe in “Toita Sei Nenyika yeRhodesia?” to express and convey political messages.
It calls for understanding that while running your own race in life, one must acknowledge that it may not always go as planned. Hence, do not create obstacles, which hamper realising your goal(s) because of an irresponsible decision.
On the contrary, carefully evaluate both education and talent and ensure that you set for yourself milestones that will help and guide you to maximise your potential in both.
This stands the test of time, as you may never know which of the two may be your life’s support.
AMEN!

l Fred Zindi is a professor at the University of Zimbabwe. He is also a musician and an author of several books on music. He can be contacted via e-mail on [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

Each of us wants our children and the children of all those around us to achieve success in school, success in employment, and success in the social structures through which we move.
But we also want our children to experience “success” on a broader scale. Participation in music, based on grounding in music education during the formative school years, brings countless benefits to each individual throughout life.
The benefits may be psychological or spiritual, and they may be physical as well.
Music is therefore a magical gift we must nourish and cultivate in our children, especially now as scientific evidence proves that an education in the arts makes better mathematics and science students and enhances spatial intelligence in newly borns.
Many colleges view participation in the arts and music as a valuable experience that broadens students’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them.
It is also well known and widely recognised that the arts as a whole contribute significantly to children’s intellectual development.
So why do many African parents still have negative perceptions of musicians? (Hatidi mukwasha anoridza magitare).
Here I am trying to prove that the barrier between education and talent is very thin and that one with both aspects is a more rounded person than one with only one aspect.
Therefore, using the phrase spoken by Alexander Graham Bell, “before anything else, preparation is the key to success”; to highlight the importance of education as well as honing talents should be the aim for a sustainable future.