List of child music prodigies explained

A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain to the level of an adult expert performer.[1] [2] [3] This is a list of young children (around age 10) who displayed a talent in music deemed to make them competitive with skilled adult musicians. The list is sorted by instrument.

Classical

Piano

NameBornInstrumentDebutNotes
Charles-Valentin Alkan1813Piano5Entered Paris Conservatoire at age 5, youngest ever admission.[4]
Martha Argerich1941Piano4Orchestral debut at age eight[5]
Pepito Arriola1896Piano3Performed the Beethoven C Minor Concerto at the Royal Albert Hall aged 9 with the LSO and Frederic Hymen Cowen.
Kit Armstrong1992Piano5Concerto debut at eight; Morton Gould Young Composer Award for five consecutive years[6]
Claudio Arrau1903Piano5Could read notes before letters[7]
Daniel Barenboim1942Piano7[8]
Emily Bear2001Piano5Composed and released her first piano album at age five
Vincenzo Bellini1801Piano5Began studying music theory at two, the piano at three, and by the age of five could apparently play well
Lili Boulanger1893Piano, violin, cello, harp6Attended Louis Vierne's organ classes at the Paris Conservatoire at age six[9]
Frédéric Chopin1810Piano7Wrote his first composition, a polonaise, which is still studied and performed today.[10]
Augusta Cottlow1878Piano6Aged 10 performed a recital which included Haydn C major fantasie; Beethoven G major rondo, op.15; Beethoven G major sonata, op.14, No.2; Chopin E flat nocturne, op.9, No.2; Chopin A minor waltz, op.34, No.2, and Les Charmes de Paris by Moscheles.[11]
Solomon Cutner1902Piano8Performed at Queen's Hall London, June 1911, when he played Mozart's Concerto No.15 in B flat, K.450, as well as the central movement of the Tchaikovsky first concerto, and finally the Polacca by Alice Verne-Bredt.[12]
Georges Cziffra1921Piano9Entered the Franz Liszt Academy at age nine, after some four years performing in a traveling circus
Carl Filtsch1830Piano6Composed concerto at thirteen; died at age fourteen[13]
Nelson Freire1944Piano5He made his first public appearance at the age of five playing Mozart's Sonata K. 331.
Charly García1951Piano5Gave his first public recital at age five, became a music professor at age twelve.
Clara Haskil1895Piano5Gave her first concert in Vienna in 1902.
Otto Hegner1876Piano8Caused a sensation in London in 1888.[14]
Cory Henry1987Piano, Organ6Began playing both the piano and the B3 organ at two years old; played a recital at the Apollo Theater when he was six.[15] [16]
Josef Hofmann1876Piano10[17]
Ernest Hutcheson1871Piano, Composer5Gave his first public recitals aged five; entered the Leipzig Conservatory at the age of fourteen.
Maryla Jonas1911Piano9Made her debut with the Warsaw Philharmonic in 1920.
Evgeny Kissin1971Piano10Entered music school at age six[18]
Raoul Koczalski1884Piano4Debut in St. Petersburg; noted Chopin exponent.
Alicia de Larrocha1923Piano5She gave her first public performance at the age of five at the International Exposition in Barcelona.[19]
Franz Liszt1811Piano9Performed first major concert at age eleven[20]
Maria Anna Mozart1751Harpsichord, fortepiano7Performed all over Europe with her father Leopold and brother Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Her career was thwarted by the gender roles of her time, and her domineering father demanded she marry.[21]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart1756Piano, violin, composition4One of the most prolific composers of the Classical Era. Performed all over Europe with his father Leopold and sister Nannerl[22]
Elisey Mysin2010Piano8At the age of eight, without a score, he performed Mozart's Concerto No. 3 in D major in Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia
Arthur Napoleon1844Piano4At the age of four, appeared at the Philharmonic Society of Oporto. Appeared in Paris in 1853, where Hector Berlioz noted his success in the Journal des Débats.[23]
Pillar Osorio1905Piano3Performed, aged 3, in Leipzig. Step-sister to Pepito Arriola.[24]
Daniel Pollack1935Piano9Made his debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of nine, performing the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1.
Camille Saint-Saëns1835Piano5Gave his first public recital at age five
Ernest Schelling1876Piano, Composer4Debut at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ruth Slenczynska1925Piano6She played her debut in Berlin at age six and made her debut in Paris with a full orchestra at seven years of age.[25] [26] [27] [28] [29]
Bruno Steindel1890Piano7London debut at Crystal Palace concerts, October 9, 1897[30]
Vera Timanova1855Piano9At 11 began studying with Anton Rubinstein, and later with K. Tausig in Berlin.[31]
Geoffrey Tozer1954Piano8Aged eight, Tozer performed Bach's Concerto No. 5 in F minor with the Victorian Symphony Orchestra, Australia

Strings

Composing

NameBornTalentDebutNotes
1910Composer, conductor7Attempted an opera at age ten; attended the Curtis Institute of Music at age fourteen[32]
Ethan Bortnick2000Composer, pianist7Ethan began playing a keyboard at the age of three and was composing music by the age of five.[33] [34] Web site: World's Smartest Kids . 2024-04-07 . Oprah.com.
Ferruccio Busoni1866Pianist, composer, conductor, editor, writer, and educatorComposed quartet at age 11
Frédéric Chopin1810Composer7Began concerts and polonaises at age seven; attained notability by age fifteen[35]
Pio Cianchettini1799Composer, pianist6[36] Composed prolifically for the piano, performing a concerto of own composition in London in 1809 when he was 10. Edited Beethoven’s works for British publishers.
Max Darewski1894Composer, pianist, conductorComposed the waltz Le Rêve, aged 5. Conducted the massed bands numbering five thousand at Crystal Palace, aged 9.[37]
Iris de Cairos Rego1894Composer, pianistStarting composing and playing aged 3.[38]
Alma Deutscher2005Composer, pianist, violinist6Composed first piano sonata at age six, first violin concerto at age nine, and first full-length opera, Cinderella, at age ten.[39]
Carl Filtsch1830Composer, pianistPupil of Chopin, composed his first works for piano aged 9.
César Franck1822Composer, organist, pianist, teacherAttempted piano concerto at age 12 and cantata at age 13 among other various works.
Morton Gould1913Composer, conductor, pianist6[40]
Jay Greenberg1991ComposerEntered Juilliard school at age 10; first symphony at age 11
Evgeny Kissin1971Pianist and ComposerStarted composing significant output at age 7 including early work, ‘Petrushka.’
Erich Wolfgang Korngold1897Composer, conductor9Started composing at age 7. Wrote cantata at age 9 and first ballet, ‘Der Schneemann’ at age 11.
Franz Liszt1811Composer, pianist, conductor, teacherWas the only child composer to write for a set of Diabelli variations at age 11, and composed opera at age 13.
André Mathieu1929Composer and pianistWrote etudes and other works at age 4; piano concertino at age 7 performed with orchestra.
Felix Mendelssohn1809Composer, conductor9[41]
Gian Carlo Menotti1911Composer, librettist, playwright, director7Started composing at 7; composed first opera at age eleven[42]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart1756Composer4His first compositions were Andante (K. 1a) and Allegro (K. 1b)[43]
Niccolò Paganini1782Composer, violinist7[44]
Sergei Prokofiev1891Composer, pianist, and conductorComposed first piano piece at age 5. First operetta, ‘The Giant’ composed at age 9.
Sergei Rachmaninoff1873Composer, pianistWrote first published work, Piano Piece in D-minor at age 11; many other pieces in teen years; Piano Concerto No.1 composed from age 17-18.
1911Composer8First piano composition at age eight; attended Milan Conservatory at age 9; first opera performed publicly at age eleven [45]
Anton Rubinstein1829Pianist, composer, conductor Composed piano etude, ‘Ondine’ at age 11.
Camille Saint-Saëns1835Composer, organist, conductor, and pianistWrote first pieces at age 3
Franz Schubert1797Composer, pianist, violinistComposed various works from a young age
Clara Schumann1819Pianist, composer, piano teacherComposed 4 polonaises at 10, piano sonata at age 13, and premiered her own piano concerto age age 14-15.
Blind Tom Wiggins1849Composer, pianistComposed music from the age 4-5 including pieces like ‘The Rainstorm’ He and was able to memorize entire speeches with nuances.
Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga1806ComposerWrote opera Los esclavos felices at age 14 and over 100 works before he died at age 20. Was praised as a student of Cherubini.

Conducting

NameBornTalentDebutNotes
1939Conducting8Made his United States debut conducting a professional orchestra in Carnegie Hall.[46]
Lorin Maazel1930Conducting8Began conducting at age 7, studying under Vladimir Bakaleinikov and made debut at age 8. He conducted the National High School Orchestra at Interlochen Center for the Arts and subsequently the New York World’s Fair.

References

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Feldman . David H. . Morelock . M. J. . Encyclopedia of Creativity . 2nd . Runco . Mark A. . Pritzker . Steven R. . 2011 . Academic Press . 978-0-12-375038-9 . 10.1016/B978-0-12-375038-9.00182-5 . Prodigies . 261–265 . For the purposes of this and future research, a prodigy was defined as a child younger than 10 years of age who has reached the level of a highly trained professional in a demanding area of endeavor. .
  2. News: Rose . Lacey . Whiz Kids . 3 April 2015 . Forbes . 2 March 2007 . At the moment, the most widely accepted definition is a child, typically under the age of 10, who has mastered a challenging skill at the level of an adult professional. .
  3. Feldman . David Henry . Fall 1993 . Child prodigies: A distinctive form of giftedness . Gifted Child Quarterly . 27 . 4 . 188–193 . 10.1177/001698629303700408 . 144180264 .
  4. Conway, David (2012). Jewry in Music: Entry to the Profession from the Enlightenment to Richard Wagner. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., pp. 222–224.
  5. Web site: Martha Argerich (Piano) – Short Biography. 2020-09-25. www.bach-cantatas.com.
  6. Web site: Kit Armstrong . Freewebs.com . 2010-09-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101121065645/http://www.freewebs.com/kitarmstrong/ . 2010-11-21 .
  7. Web site: Claudio Arrau Biography . Princeton.edu . 2010-09-20.
  8. Web site: 2007-12-17 . BBC - BBC Four - Audio Interviews - Daniel Barenboim . 2024-04-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071217202252/http://www.bbc.co.uk:80/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/barenboimd1.shtml . 2007-12-17 .
  9. Web site: Radio 3 – Composer of the Week – 1. Early promise . BBC . 2010-09-20.
  10. [Zdzisław Jachimecki|Jachimecki]
  11. 11 March 1920 . Augusta Cottlow, Prodigy . Musical Courier . 80 . 11 . 24.
  12. Book: Crimp . Bryan . Solo : the biography of Solomon . 1984 . Appian Publications . Northumberland, UK . 19.
  13. Web site: Jeffrey Biegel Performer Blog . Jeffrey Biegel . Sequenza21.com . 2006-01-10 . 2010-09-20.
  14. Otto Hegner, Eastern Evening News, 28 March 1888, p.3
  15. Web site: Steve. Leggett. Cory Henry : Biography. AllMusic. March 30, 2016.
  16. Joe. Incollingo. Snarky Puppy's Cory Henry on five organ essentials. . March 30, 2016 . February 25, 2016.
  17. Web site: PMC ESSAYS: Zakrzewska – Pianists 100 Years Ago (2) . Usc.edu . 2000-08-08 . 2010-09-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100226095315/http://www.usc.edu/dept/polish_music/essays/zakrzewska_100years2.html . 2010-02-26 .
  18. Web site: Music – Artists . BBC . 2010-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060822053532/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/profiles/kissin.shtml . 2006-08-22 . dead .
  19. Web site: 2009-10-01 . Alicia de Larrocha, Renowned Pianist, Dies at 86 - TIME . 2024-04-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091001144208/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1926385,00.html . 2009-10-01 .
  20. Web site: The Musical Times: Franz Liszt 1811-1886 . 2006-02-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060929024947/http://www.musicaltimes.co.uk/archive/obits/188609liszt.html . 2006-09-29 .
  21. Web site: Mozart family .
  22. Web site: Mozart's Vienna . Luxurytraveler.com . 2010-09-20 . 2010-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101204053851/http://luxurytraveler.com/mozart_vienna.html . dead .
  23. Illustrated London News, 16 July 1853, p.13
  24. Hucknall Morning Star and Advertiser, 29 January 1909, p.2
  25. Web site: Eliza . 2023-10-25 . Who's Rachmaninoff's Last Student? . 2024-01-07 . en-US.
  26. Web site: Ruth Slenczynska Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More . 2024-01-07 . AllMusic . en.
  27. Web site: 2020-12-05 . Piano legend Ruth Slenczynska . 2024-01-07 . ABC listen . en-AU.
  28. Wilson College . Skinner Series Presents First Artist, Piano Personality, Ruth Slenczynska . The Wilson Billboard . XXXIX . 5.
  29. News: Rockwell . John . 1984-11-15 . PIANO: RUTH SLENCZYNSKA . 2024-01-07 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  30. Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 4 September 1897, p.20
  31. Book: Wilson . Lyle . A dictionary of pianists . 1985 . Schirmer Books . New York.
  32. Web site: Samuel Barber . https://web.archive.org/web/20060914045116/http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&ComposerId_2872=1039 . 2006-09-14 . 2010-09-20 . Schirmer.com.
  33. Web site: By . 2010-05-14 . Hollywood piano prodigy, 9, to headline benefit concert in North Miami Beach . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240407172134/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2010/05/14/hollywood-piano-prodigy-9-to-headline-benefit-concert-in-north-miami-beach . 2024-04-07 . 2024-04-07 . Sun Sentinel . en-US.
  34. Web site: 2010-10-03 . Youngest musician to headline a solo concert tour (male) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240107214629/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/youngest-musician-to-headline-a-solo-concert-tour . 2024-01-07 . 2024-04-11 . Guinness World Records.
  35. Web site: Fryderyk Chopin: Poet of the Piano . 2008-02-09 . 2010-09-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080209020217/http://www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/chopin.html . 2008-02-09.
  36. Composed his Rondo for Forte Piano, aged 6. It was dedicated to the infant Prince Napoleon Charles, eldest son of Louis Napoleon and Hortense.
  37. News: 16 Mar 1904 . Infant Prodigies . The Tatler . 456.
  38. Musical Prodigy, Kentish Independent, 16 June 1905, p.5
  39. Web site: A Musical Prodigy? Sure, but Don't Call Her 'a New Mozart'. Eddy. Melissa. . June 14, 2019. September 2, 2020.
  40. Web site: Biography . 2024-04-06 . Morton Gould 20th Century American Composer . en.
  41. Web site: Felix Mendelssohn Bio . February 4, 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060110193528/http://www.classicalarchives.com/bios/mendelssohn_bio.html . January 10, 2006 .
  42. Web site: 1911-07-07 . Gian Carlo Menotti . https://web.archive.org/web/20060914045116/http://www.schirmer.com/default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&ComposerId_2872=1039 . 2006-09-14 . 2010-09-20 . Schirmer.com.
  43. Cliff Eisen, Stanley Sadie, '(Johann Chrysostom) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed May 9, 2006)
  44. Web site: Legendary Violinists. Niccolo Paganini . Thirteen.org . 2010-09-20.
  45. Web site: Nino Rota, Un timido protagonista del Novecento musicale . 11 October 2012 . EDT.it . 2022-04-14., pp. 179-180.
  46. Syracuse Herald Journal Newspaper Archives February 29, 1948 Page 14