Giftedness from Socio-economically Disadvantaged Families: Alternative Pathways to Talent Development

“It takes a village to raise a child” is a trite adage that resonates a certain truth particularly to musical talents coming from a developing country. This presentation is an attempt to document an alternative pathway to talent development in music that highlights cultural influences and the power played by stark social realities in lieu of material and intellectual resources required for one to advance in the domain. In Bloom’s (1985) stages of talent development, there is an implicit assumption that the young artist would have the resources for skilled mentors and access to much-needed resources in their pathways to expertise. Through multiple in-depth interviews conducted with two award-winning, highly-respected artist-collaborators from the Philippines, it was evident that there exists an alternative pathway towards eminence that involves exposure to music in the context of daily living and the active role played by the entire community in furthering musical talent. Moreover, one is able to discern how meaning making is achieved through art - with music used as a form of social commentary. Implications of these findings for educators and practitioners are likewise explored.