Obviously, for any musician, very strong formal training at a school like Berklee or Juilliard would be beneficial. In that sort of environment, the musicians are nourished and taught by other talented musicians in such a way that would contribute to their own musical growth. They're consistently put in with other musicians of significant skill, and able to bounce ideas off of one another, gain performance experience, and gain a very deep understanding of music theory and techniques at their given musical instrument.
With that said, I don't think that a formal education is at all necessary for a true musical prodigy. There have been people all through the history of music who have really made it both ways. Although I'm not inclined to truly pick one method of learning over the other necessarily, I will say that those with a natural affinity for music are able to listen to other artists, pick up what they're playing, and have an innate understanding of the composition of given pieces over a period of time, which go into their own compositions. I mean, hell, Jimi Hendrix never took guitar lessons.
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It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken
Perhaps they're better left unsung
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