Condoleezza Rice was trained as a concert pianist. Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, once played clarinet and saxophone professionally. Bruce Kovner, a billionaire hedge fund manager, is also a pianist who studied at Juilliard. These successful individuals, and many others, have deep connections to music, suggesting a powerful link between music study and professional achievement. But what exactly is it about music training that seems to correlate with such success in various fields?
The connection isn’t coincidental. I explored this idea by speaking to top professionals in industries like tech, finance, and media, all of whom had significant, often little-known, musical backgrounds. Many of them drew a direct line between their music training and their achievements, citing music’s influence on key traits such as collaboration, creative thinking, and the ability to synthesize disparate ideas. Music also cultivates focus—allowing them to be mindful of the present while thinking ahead.
Will playing music turn your child into the next Paul Allen, billionaire co-founder of Microsoft (guitarist), or Woody Allen (clarinetist)? Probably not. These are extraordinary individuals. However, many top achievers apply the lessons of focus, discipline, and creativity gained from music to their careers in other fields.
Musicians can be found at the top of almost any industry. Woody Allen performs weekly with a jazz band. Paula Zahn (cello) and Chuck Todd (French horn) attended college on music scholarships. Andrea Mitchell trained as a professional violinist, and both Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and venture capitalist Roger McNamee have rock bands. Even tech moguls like Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, played saxophone in high school. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is a clarinetist, and James D. Wolfensohn, former World Bank president, has performed cello at Carnegie Hall.
Alan Greenspan, who still plays piano, notes that it’s highly unlikely this connection is mere chance. He states, “As a statistician, the probability that it’s coincidence is extremely small.” The bigger question, though, is why this link between music and professional success exists.
Paul Allen believes music fosters creativity. He started playing violin at age 7 and later switched to guitar. During the early days of Microsoft, he would often play guitar after long hours of programming. Music, he says, complements his day job by channeling a different form of creativity. Both programming and playing music, according to Allen, encourage pushing boundaries and expressing new ideas.
Chuck Todd connects years of musical practice and competition with his drive for perfection in his career as NBC’s chief White House correspondent. Similarly, Steve Hayden, the advertising executive behind Apple’s famous “1984” commercial, attributes his collaborative skills to his cello-playing background. Ensemble music teaches you when to take the lead and when to support others—a critical skill in professional settings.
Many high achievers describe music as a “hidden language.” Wolfensohn, who played cello during his travels as head of the World Bank, calls music a gateway to understanding different cultures. Similarly, Bruce Kovner sees parallels between his piano playing and investment strategy, particularly in recognizing patterns. Both music and finance, he says, require a similar skillset for identifying and working with complex patterns.
Some, like Woody Allen, view music as a hobby rather than a career skill. Despite downplaying his musical abilities, Allen practices clarinet daily, performing internationally with his jazz band. He admits music has unexpectedly enriched his life.
For others, music offers a sense of balance. Wolfensohn, who began playing the cello as an adult, finds joy in music unrelated to professional ambition. Roger McNamee, whose investment firm is known for early investments in Facebook, uses his band, Moonalice, to explore the intersection of music and technology through live-streaming concerts.
Musicians often share a deep, almost obsessive drive to master their craft. For example, Paula Zahn recalls spending hours practicing cello, and Todd remembers auditioning for the Florida All-State Orchestra at age 17. Todd believes this determination to refine a musical phrase translates into his professional work ethic, where persistent effort eventually leads to success. Music, he says, teaches the lesson that “if you work hard enough, it does get better.”
At a time when serious music study and music education are in decline, it’s worth reflecting on what these high achievers have gained from their musical training. The qualities they attribute to music—collaboration, creativity, discipline, and the ability to reconcile conflicting ideas—are essential yet often missing in public life today. Music may not guarantee genius, wealth, or moral improvement, but it offers a unique way of thinking, problem-solving, and, perhaps most importantly, learning to truly listen.
