Evie Dredge 

Are musicians born or created? This research based project studied the argument of nature versus nurture in order to find out whether a talent and interest in music is something you are born with or if it’s something you learn and develop from your surroundings. There were multiple aspects to consider in this study, such as; Is talent a natural genetic gift? Is it something earned with personal determination and practise? Or is it dependent on the quality of teaching? A study was designed for music teachers and their students to determine what impact family, practise, environment and encouragement have on the students’ musical interests and level of talent. Most notably, it was found that an encouraging and musical family may be more advantageous to a music student than a high level of practise. The results also revealed that talent goes beyond nature and nurture alone, with multiple aspects of the students’ lives impacting their talent.