Piano Video Lesson: Were All Concert Pianists Child Prodigies?

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, Robert Estrin asking the question, were all concert pianist child prodigies? It almost seems that way. You know, I had the good fortune of studying with Ruth Slenchinska, who was regarded as one of the greatest child prodigies since Mozart, and she grew into a fabulous concert pianist in adulthood, has performed into her 90s from the age of four, and you know, everybody around today you think of Lang Lang and Yu -Ju Wang and on and on. So are there any concert pianists that began their careers that were not child prodigies? Well, there are several, so it's not a prerequisite. George Borlain, although he's a talented musician from childhood, he didn't achieve widespread recognition early in his life and was not considered a prodigy, and if you've ever heard his playing, fabulous, fabulous pianist, Slenchow Richter, one of the great pianists of the 20th century known for his deep artistry. Richter's rise to fame came later compared to most child prodigies, though he was musically talented as a child, and here's one for you, Giovanni Bellucci, an Italian concert pianist who began studying piano at the age of 14 and managed to become a notable performer despite starting much later than typical prodigy.

And I remember in a conservatory, one of the pianists there didn't start the piano until 12 years old, and he was a hard worker. I'm not sure what became of him if he became a concert pianist, but it is possible. Now, I will say that as a teacher, when I get students who are older beginners, if they have had some experience with music in the past, a different instrument or singing, it makes a huge difference in how adept they are at picking up the piano later.

Even just being exposed to music a great deal, in the home, concerts, because after all, music is a language, so growing up with it is definitely a plus, but not essential.

Historically, you figure Mozart, obviously great child prodigy, Mendelssohn, and on and on, but did you know that Hector Berlioz, though not a pianist, Berlioz is an example of a great musician who didn't receive much musical training as a child, demonstrating that early, prodigious talent is not always necessary for success in music, and that is the lesson for today. So any of you who are starting later, do not fear, the odds are not against you, anything is possible with dedication, hard work, and total immersion in the piano. Thanks for joining me, Robert Estrin, LivingPianos.com, your online piano store.

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