This research is concerned with assessing correlations between musical aptitude and musical interest and emotional intelligence. It also describes variables in personal musical characteristics, which affect emotional intelligence. A total of 460 middle and high school students were the subjects of investigation. A measuring tool, Advanced Measures of Music Audiation (AMMA), developed by Gordon (1989) were used to measure musical aptitude and a Music Interest Survey, produced by Bae, Sung-Ae (2000) and a Music Attitude Scale, produced by Shaw and Tomcala (1976) were adapted and utilized. Emotional intelligence also was measured by ‘The Scale of Emotional Intelligence’ for middle school students, which was jointly developed by the Educational Research Institute, Seoul National University and the Research Institute of Educational Science, Daekyo. The measurements were carried out for three days from November 6 to November 8, 2000, and the analysis was based on survey results for 441 people excluding the people who did not fully respond. The investigation obtained the following results. Firstly, there exists a slightly positive correlation between music aptitude and emotional intelligence (r=.096, p<.05). The high-level group in musical aptitude gained better marks in the total score of emotional intelligence and in all sub-elements of emotional intelligence than the low-level group. This represented a significant difference in the total score of emotional intelligence and in emotional regulation (p<.05). Secondly, the correlation between musical interest and emotional intelligence (r=.418, p<.001) proved to be higher than that between musical aptitude and emotional intelligence. The high-level in music interest group gained better marks in all sub-elements of emotional intelligence than the low-level group. This result represented a significant difference in the total scores in emotional intelligence (p<.001), empathy (p<.001), emotional regulation(p<.001), emotional utilizing (p<.001) and emotional appraisal (p<.05). Thirdly, there existed a significant difference in musical aptitude and musical interest according to sex (p<.001), and significant differences in musical aptitude according to age (p<.001). A significant difference was also discovered in musical aptitude, musical interest and emotional intelligence according to exposure to music lessons. Emotional intelligence varied according to whether or not there was any family member who majored in music (p<.01). The results of this research indicate that music interest has a higher correlation than musical aptitude to emotional intelligence, and that emotional intelligence is influenced by musical aptitude, musical interest, and by lessons. Family members who have majored in music are also a significant factor. This means that, in adolescence when people have a finer sensibility and are more affected by music, musical interest as an emotional attitude exerts a bigger influence on emotional intelligence than a fixed musical aptitude. In conclusion, this study suggests the necessity to develop music programs to improve emotional intelligence.