Is this the next classical composer of the future?

[ranniks]

Emily Bear

She has written 126 pieces for the piano as of the date the video was uploaded. She's like 6-8 years old at the time of the video. This is bloody insane.

We have the prodigies who are 5 years old  and play great classical pieces, but not only does Emily play all those classical pieces, she also makes her own.

My mouth hung open when I heard the song played at around 5:20 here:

Here's the stand-alone version:

What in the actual Mozart am I hearing here? She wrote that!

HOWEVER, here's my critique for the few pieces I've heard of hers:

1) They sound like your avarage movie themes. (I may be wrong about this, not exactly sure.)
2) They don't sound classical in the sense of Rach who came late to the classical composing, but left behind something which you can connect way back to Bach. (I may be wrong about this, not exactly sure.)

So I'm wanting to hear the opinion of the veterans here on pianostreet.

Also, don't hate on the girl; she's brilliant and could well be the next Horowitz (maybe even Rach/Mozart/Chopin) if she doesn't stray from her path.

[wwalrus]

Her songs are pretty much the same in all respects, and her technique is not that good. Just speaking objectively here, but she's pretty cute with the dedication to Ellen

[awesom_o]

Is this a joke, or a serious thread?

[ranniks]

Her songs are pretty much the same in all respects, and her technique is not that good. Just speaking objectively here, but she's pretty cute with the dedication to Ellen

She's still got years ahead of her to correct these things. At first I wasn't much impressed by her (since it's the status quo to have your 3 year old on piano lessons, but I never realised that she could compose already. That was what amazed me.

Is this a joke, or a serious thread?

I rarely make threads where I joke around about something serious, though, I do hope I havn't done that lately/if ever.

Why would I be joking though?

Impressive to be playing a piano concerto at that age. I haven't listened to it all though.

Listen, I'm just a year-piano-beginner, but this girl has merit, it just has to, right?

[awesom_o]

Look, I don't want to put an artist down, especially one who is what.....1/3 of my age?

It seems the little girl has done quite well for herself indeed, by any worldly measure...

But great composers aren't measured by worldly measures. They are other worldly people.

People who have ongoing contact with other worldly forces. The heaven that they bring to our world is proof of this contact.


Like wwalrus says, she is very cute, but her songs are pretty much the same in all respects, and her technique is not that good.

Most of the great composers, contrary to popular belief, were NOT 'child prodigies'.

Many of them came from musical families and played instruments as children, but, with very few exceptions, most of the great composers took up composition seriously in their mid-to-late teens, early-to-mid-twenties, and in a few cases, even as late as their thirties.

Composing art music is an adult's game. A bit like professional operatic roles, and high-profile conducting appointments. A novice in the musical world might easily think Jackie Evancho will be the next great opera singer, but anyone who has been around the block a few times knows she's a long way from Covent Garden, and will probably never get there.

I don't want to say she has no merit. As a teacher, I wouldn't say that about anyone. As a composer, I would not say that she could compose already.

[awesom_o]

Why don't you head over to the audition room, and have a listen to what our new member yale_music, aka Andrew Schartmann has written?

Or just check out his website yourself, here it is!

https://www.andrewschartmann.com/music.php

Here is a young man who is legitimately gifted and has worked incredibly hard to forge a powerful and unique style which may well contain enough substance to stick around forever.

That's what it comes down to, you see.

It's not something to be taken lightly.

[wwalrus]

After listening to a couple minutes of her playing Schumann, it was pretty clear there wasn't much in the course of her career. She's pretty stale, although she emotes (where have we seen this before?) a lot. In the first part of the theme where the piano is introduced for the second time, I don't think it could be more bland then how she plays it.

Like I said, I'm being objective. She's very cute and all, but there really isn't much there.

[emill]

Why don't you head over to the audition room, and have a listen to what our new member yale_music, aka Andrew Schartmann has written?  Here is a young man who is legitimately gifted and has worked incredibly hard to forge a powerful and unique style which may well contain enough substance to stick around forever.

I hate to say this as my son Enzo is starting in his studies for "Applied Piano" or piano performance, but I really feel that composing and composers occupy a higher level in the pecking order of music. .. although for me pianists like the composer through their performance can be the bridge to our souls.

Listened to some of his pieces .... beautiful... THANKS for the link.

[awesom_o]

emill,

Fear not! It is only since around the time of WW2 that we have had such thing as 'virtuoso pianists who do not compose their own works'.

It takes quite a while. Notice that yale_piano is in his late twenties, and is working on a third music degree (a phd at yale and no less!).

I'm in my mid-twenties and my portfolio contains well under an hour of music.
With composition, it's about quality over quantity.

That is why I don't see this young child's having written 126 'pieces' already by the age of 7 as being a good thing.

Enzo has many rich musical years ahead of him to develop his creative voice.

Part of the reason why it is better to develop maturity as a pianist before seriously attempting composition, is because an advanced pianist will have read through hundreds and hundreds of great works, performed dozens and dozens of great works, and will have a wide repertoire of composers whose music they love dearly.

The advanced pianist who is an aspiring composer has actually been studying composition the whole time, with the greatest composers who ever lived! They may be dead, but that doesn't matter! He or she knows their style intimately, having played many of their works and read books about his life.

It is difficult for a 12 year old, or even a 17 year old, to have read widely enough to be in possession of a musical style worthy of attention from accomplished musical culture. Mozart and Mendelssohn are pretty much the only people who ever wrote truly GREAT music at a genuinely young age.

And both Mozart and Mendelssohn came from extraordinary families which make the proverbial high-achieving-tiger-mom of today's young virtuosi seem like a kitten.

[j_menz]

Of course, to be fair, the stuff Wolfie was writing at 7 isn't really his best work by a long shot.

[awesom_o]

Absolutely not! His very young works are what one might expect from a talented child with his background.

His violin concerti are all mature works he completed in before he was 19 and they're amazing.

His last two symphonies, on the other hand, are MORE than amazing!!!!

[richard black]

I don't reckon her playing of the Schumann is bad at all, but that's about the level most child prodigies are at, and they're commoner than one might think. Plenty fall by the wayside.

Her compositions, though, are just noodling. No reason why she shouldn't become a fine composer... with time and training...

[awesom_o]

Even when the great composers noodled as children, their noodles were cooked perfectly al dente, and served in a beautiful, simple sauce.

To me these noodles are overdone, and covered in too much cheese.

[pianoplunker]

Part of the reason why it is better to develop maturity as a pianist before seriously attempting composition, is because an advanced pianist will have read through hundreds and hundreds of great works, performed dozens and dozens of great works, and will have a wide repertoire of composers whose music they love dearly.

The advanced pianist who is an aspiring composer has actually been studying composition the whole time, with the greatest composers who ever lived! They may be dead, but that doesn't matter! He or she knows their style intimately, having played many of their works and read books about his life.

Yes indeed, when composing, one can achieve great gratuitous inspiration ( stealing )  from great composers. But every once in a while music is given a completely original take . Mozart was not amazing because he was a child when he started composing, he was amazing because his music was unique.  And still is !   He may not have studied everybody by the time he was three but his parents encouraged it and let him thrive with his perfect pitch ability.

[nocturnetr]

Any true musician here I think, has heard of İdil Biret. A freaking special law was enacted (Prodigious Children Law, it is called, was enacted for Suna Kan and İdil Biret) enacted a special law for her to study abroad when she was seven years old, graduated with three prizes at the age of fifteen. This girl's greatest success is showing up in a talk show. Prokofiev has composed an opera at the age of 9, and was experimenting with unusual time structures and clashing chords at 10. Sorry but I strongly believe that this girl will not be regarded as talented as she is now a few years later.

[j_menz]

Prokofiev ... was experimenting with unusual time structures and clashing chords at 10.

Hell, I was doing that at three. I don't recall anyone recognising my genius, though - just telling me to stop banging.

[h_chopin148]

Even when the great composers noodled as children, their noodles were cooked perfectly al dente, and served in a beautiful, simple sauce.

To me these noodles are overdone, and covered in too much cheese.

This, is the best metaphor I have ever heard.

[awesom_o]

Thank you.

This is how I cook my noodles, although sometimes the flavour of the final dish varies depending upon the ingredients I have available and my mood upon the day(s) of cooking.

https://vimeo.com/74077435

[pianist88]

I've been browsing piano street questions for a while (out of interest) and I came across this one. After listening to Emily Bear's music, all I can sat is that she  is definitely talented, but at the end of the day she is just a composer who has been so hyped it's not funny. Even her fans are so stubborn that they will accuse you of trolling. and they will tear you to shreds. Her jazz is so cliched it's not funny, and her "classical" music is more like New Age music which is almost as bad as Richard Clayderman (apologies to all you Clayderman fans out there)

[beethovenfan01]

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Wrote a big post here, then realized the thread was four years old ...