Piano Prodigies Back in the Day.... Where are they Now?

[rubinsteinmad]

So, I've been wondering, what happens after those prodigies grow up?

I think Emily Bear and Umi Garret aren't as famous as she once was. It's a pity, because they are both SUPER talented.

After a short break from fame, from my point of view, Aimi went back onto the international stage by getting a prize in the Chopin Competition 2015.

George Li has always been famous Now, he just boosted his concert career as a true pianist, winning the prestigious 2nd prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition.


Any others?

[schumaniac]

same with Marc Yu; what happened to him?

Emily Bear is still playing though, I think she is more of a songwriter/composer now
youtube.com/user/emilybearpiano/
And Umi Garrett apparently has a really active concert schedule. So no pity there or anything...

[adodd81802]

A couple of thoughts.

It's worth noting that just being good at something doesn't mean you enjoy it. A lot of these "prodigies" are very young children without the ability (and sometimes permission) to think for themselves.

I imagine many grow up and either resent their parents and rebel or simply move onto other things. A brain that can accomplish many things would be rather wasted on simply playing the piano, and I LOVE the piano!

Alternatively they just step out the media, there's a difference between a brilliant child pianist and a brilliant pianist, we see a lot of children that can perform pieces that seem far beyond their capability but at a time when the brain is most absorbing information, who knows maybe they are just peaking quicker.

[rubinsteinmad]

same with Marc Yu; what happened to him?

I've never heard of him, so I wouldn't know

[bronnestam]

Well ... some progidies are admired just because they are young and "cute", not because they perform in any way better than the average, middle-aged, professional pianist. So, when they are adults, they are just average too.

We tend to seek for patterns all the time. For trends. If an eight-year-old plays like an adult, we tend to go "ooh, just IMAGINE how good she will be in twenty years!" because we see the development curve keep on skyrocketing. But it might very well be that she is already near her peak and then not much more will happen.

Why are we always favorizing the fast starters? Just imagine some nobody who starts to play the piano in his teens, makes a very modest progress in the beginning but diligently keep on developing until he at the age of 45 is REALLY good - isn't that also a person to admire? We don't call that person a "talent". In fact, we sometimes even mock the poor fellow because he is such a slow starter ... therefore we assume he is "bad"!

Well, we all have our own path to follow. I think our whole traditional school system is crazy, by the way. The idea of putting everyone, born in the same year, in the same group and then just assume they will develop in the same pace during the forthcoming 10 years - how crazy is that? And so we call the fast starters "talents" and the slow starters "failures" ... What an effective (and totally contraproductive) way of making the majority of the population feel like they are no good!

So, I'm not a fan of comptetitions in the music world, especially not for young musicians. They may be fun and encouraging for the partipants, but they can also be the opposite, and they are certainly not "everything".

[timothy42b]

Just imagine some nobody who starts to play the piano in his teens, makes a very modest progress in the beginning but diligently keep on developing until he at the age of 45 is REALLY good - isn't that also a person to admire? We don't call that person a "talent". In fact, we sometimes even mock the poor fellow because he is such a slow starter ... therefore we assume he is "bad"!

I can imagine that.

Actually I think I'd have to imagine it.  I've never seen an example of it actually happening. 

[bronnestam]

I have.

[timothy42b]

I have.

Perhaps so. 

I would say the prodigy and the late bloomer are both outliers, but the late bloomer much much rarer.  There are some brain changes that need to happen early. 

[swagmaster420x]

So, I've been wondering, what happens after those prodigies grow up?

I think Emily Bear and Umi Garret aren't as famous as she once was. It's a pity, because they are both SUPER talented.

After a short break from fame, from my point of view, Aimi went back onto the international stage by getting a prize in the Chopin Competition 2015.

George Li has always been famous Now, he just boosted his concert career as a true pianist, winning the prestigious 2nd prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition.


Any others?

Uni Garrett is freak in amazing, I doubt she'll ever quit piano though because she seems really connected to it.

[swagmaster420x]

Why are we always favorizing the fast starters? Just imagine some nobody who starts to play the piano in his teens, makes a very modest progress in the beginning but diligently keep on developing until he at the age of 45 is REALLY good - isn't that also a person to admire? We don't call that person a "talent". In fact, we sometimes even mock the poor fellow because he is such a slow starter ... therefore we assume he is "bad"!

Sometimes you can just tell if someone is bad and uninterested and will never get better.
People with brains would not consider the (pretty facile) example you described untalented.
Talent is based on potential, not speed. If you have achieved something, then you clearly had the talent, or potential, to do it.
Also, I sense bitterness at being outclassed by little kids in this thread.

[dogperson]

Uni Garrett is freak in amazing, I doubt she'll ever quit piano though because she seems really connected to it.

Umi Garrett is now a Steinway artist, and has an impressive concert schedule.
https://www.umigarrett.com/past-events

Since she was born in 2000, she was not old enough for the Chopin competition.

[rubinsteinmad]

Sometimes you can just tell if someone is bad and uninterested and will never get better.
People with brains would not consider the (pretty facile) example you described untalented.
Talent is based on potential, not speed. If you have achieved something, then you clearly had the talent, or potential, to do it.
Also, I sense bitterness at being outclassed by little kids in this thread.

I sensed that too, and I was gonna reply like you did, except I was like "nah..."

[rubinsteinmad]

Umi Garrett is now a Steinway artist, and has an impressive concert schedule.
https://www.umigarrett.com/past-events

Since she was born in 2000, she was not old enough for the Chopin competition.

Oh, I didn't think about that!

She behaves very charming