What do you do with a "child prodigy" ?

[mike_lang]

Method book learned in a couple weeks, so got bumped to grade 3 repertoire RCM.  Then my teacher, "snuck" in a grade 6 piece without this kid knowing and they learned it, too.  Then of course, they went straight to grade 6.

This is interesting.  Something I've noticed is that when a child does not know something is difficult, they learn it faster, which explains the idea of being able to sneak in a "grade 6" piece (I am not sure what these grades mean).  Someone in my studio at home is 14 and playing Tchaikovsky concerto - he learned it a month and plays it well.  My teacher told me as far as the octaves were concerned, he did not tell this kid that any of this was difficult, he just told him to play them faster, and he did.  I would not ask a kid if they would like to do something more or less challenging, in the case of a prodigy, because it is better just to give them something more difficult if you know they can do it.

[penguinlover]

Note to Alan,
    I agree with you totally.  I play the piano.  Out of our five children, only one ever went anywhere with musid, but they were all definately exposed to it. 

  As teacher, we are mostly cheer leaders I think.  After a day of giving lessons, sometimes I am exhausted from just being encouraging!