Absolute pitch (AP), the ability to identify or sing pitches without an external reference, is apparently neither completely inherited nor completely teachable. Based on AP research findings and the literature on cognitive development and cognitive style, this article proposes that the reason why some musicians have AP and others do not depends on both the developmental age at which music instruction began and individual differences in cognitive style; children who had a particular type of music training before the ages of 5 to 7 years, and who have a more analytical cognitive style, are most likely to develop AP. In light of the proposed explanation, there is discussion of a possible neurological correlate of AP in the brain, and of research on AP with individuals who are blind, have Williams syndrome, or are autistic. Some directions for future research are suggested.

eople around the world have heard of Yo-Yo Ma and have enjoyed his magnificent music. Yo-Yo Ma, considered by many experts to be the greatest living cellist, is famous not only for interpreting well-known works for the cello and commissioning new cello pieces, but also for creatively collaborating with musicians from different genres. Less well-known is the work of Dr. Yeou-Cheng Ma, the older sister of Yo-Yo Ma. Dr. Ma, an accomplished violinist in her own right and a former musical prodigy (Hoffman, 1993), has made valuable contributions to the worlds of music and medicine. She assists young musicians by helping to run the Children's Orchestra Society (Tommasini, 1998) and helps developmentally challenged children with communicative disorders through her pediatric practice (Santana, 2002).

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