Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.
Have a Question? No Registration Required
https://app.sli.do/event/gALVmsACeRsZQXLCw9nTfd
A lecture by Milton Mermikides
Are great musicians born or made? Talent is often seen as a mysterious gift, yet musical ability also depends on practice, environment, and culture. Can disciplined effort take us all the way, or are there limits? Can skills such as perfect pitch be learned, or must they be innate? Is it even possible or desirable to measure musical ability. This lecture examines the balance between nature and nurture, challenging the myth of the muse, effortless genius and exploring how creativity emerges through curiosity, persistence, and a hopeless love of music.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/what-talent
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
Website: gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/greshamcollege
Facebook: facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.
Have a Question? No Registration Required
https://app.sli.do/event/gALVmsACeRsZQXLCw9nTfd
A lecture by Milton Mermikides
Are great musicians born or made? Talent is often seen as a mysterious gift, yet musical ability also depends on practice, environment, and culture. Can disciplined effort take us all the way, or are there limits? Can skills such as perfect pitch be learned, or must they be innate? Is it even possible or desirable to measure musical ability. This lecture examines the balance between nature and nurture, challenging the myth of the muse, effortless genius and exploring how creativity emerges through curiosity, persistence, and a hopeless love of music.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/what-talent
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
Website: gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/greshamcollege
Facebook: facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
