Exploring the perspectives of Asian American parents on their musically talented children in instrumental education

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study employed Gagné Integrative Model of Talent Development as a conceptual framework to explore the perspectives of nine Asian American parents on their musically talented children in Western classical music culture in the United States. Musically talented children, defined by [Gagné, François, and Gary E. McPherson. 2016, September. “Analyzing Musical Prodigiousness Using Gagné’s Integrative Model of Talent Development.” In Oxford University Press EBooks, 3–114. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199685851.003.0001], as individuals who rank within the top 10% of their age peers. This distinction is made to differentiate talent from giftedness, which pertains to exceptional natural abilities or aptitudes. The analysis yielded five macro themes: (1) children's innate abilities and importance of hard work; (2) parental sacrifice and investment; (3) benefits and challenges; (4) influence from Asian culture; and (5) future expectations. This study offers deeper insights into the complex interplay between children's individual abilities and parental investment, which can be influenced by cultural identity and work ethics, especially in Asian American communities. The findings illuminate the intricate process of nurturing gifted and talented young children from a parental perspective and provide implications for how parents can support their children’s talent development.

KEYWORDS:

• Asian Americans
• gifted education
• musically talented
• parental perception

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Professor Jihea Hong-Park for connecting them with a few parent participants.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katy Ieong Cheng Ho Weatherly

Dr. Katy Ieong Cheng Ho Weatherly is an Assistant Professor of Music and Music Education at the University of Macau. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from The Juilliard School and subsequently completed her Doctor of Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Weatherly's passion for music, education, scholarship, and social justice drives her as a dedicated performer and educator. Before joining the University of Macau, Dr. Weatherly served as a District Music and Performing Arts Manager in Washington D.C. for four years. Additionally, she has held positions as the Education Director for the International Chamber Orchestra Young Artists Program, a strings faculty member at Teachers College, and an Orchestra Director at P.S. M517 in Harlem, New York.

Vivian Fang Liu

Vivian Fang Liu is an award-winning pianist, singer-songwriter, and educator. She serves as a mentor for college students at the Recording Academy's Grammy U program. Her research on music education in first and second-generation Asian Americans has been presented at International Society for Music Education conferences. Additionally, Liu is the director of the New York Sol Sharp Youth Music Program, and her students have performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Mozarthaus, and Citi Field. Liu earned a master's degree in piano performance from New York University and a second master's degree in music education from Teachers College, Columbia University.