Back to Life of Mozart, Vol. 1 (of 3)
Core Belief
"Music is a powerful force, capable of expressing deep emotions and connecting with the divine."
Worldview
Wolfgang sees the world as a place where art and beauty can triumph, but where hard work and discipline are essential to success.
Personality
Gifted with extraordinary musical talent and a lively mind, Wolfgang is often described as being both serious and mischievous. He possesses an engaging manner that attracts both admiration and affection, though sometimes displays a lack of prudence.
In Their Own Words
"Is Herr Wagenseil here? Let him come; he knows something about it."
"I am going to play one of your concertos; you must turn over for me."
"One need not have learnt, in order to play second violin."
Discussions with Mozart
My 14-year-old daughter is gifted. IQ tests off the charts. She learned to read at 3, was doing algebra at 8, won a national writing competition at 11. Everything came easily.
Now nothing comes at all. She's failing classes she could ace without trying. She quits every activity as soon as it gets hard. She says she's "not interested" in anything, but I think she's terrified of struggling.
Her therapist says she has a "fixed mindset"—she's internalized that she's supposed to be effortlessly good, so any difficulty means she's failing. We need to teach her that effort is how people grow.
But my husband—himself a successful musician—disagrees. "You can't force passion," he says. "If she's not interested, pushing her will just create resentment. Let her find her own path."
I'm watching her waste potential. But I also remember being pushed as a child and hating it.
Do gifted kids need extra pushing or extra space? Is talent wasted if it's not developed, or does forcing it destroy the joy?
— The Talented Kid Who Stopped Trying in Minneapolis8 messagesDiscuss Life of Mozart, Vol. 1 (of 3)0 messages
Other Characters from Life of Mozart, Vol. 1 (of 3)
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