Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was the ultimate child prodigy. It is said that Mozart, after attending a service at the Vatican, wrote down an entire sacred piece of music after one hearing. There are countless examples of the amazing feats that Mozart accomplished through his childhood, not to mention his huge compositional output through his life. It is very interesting to consider Mozart and his upbringing when discussing music and education since his situation was a prime example of a job well done. Many factors cause certain children to become musicians, but most important are the intrinsic characteristics of the student and the learning environment in which he is raised. Obviously, Mozart and his family hit the jackpot with both of these aspects: nature and nurture. In this article, the author traces his musical development from childhood to becoming a successful percussionist.