11 years old plays Chopin Etudes live

[marik1]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=6M5znHSAPrU

[preludetr]

Kids who can play Islamey, Gaspard and Don Juan are a dime a dozen nowadays. It stopped being impressive after the first 20 times. Now I just feel bad for these kids who will have no childhood. I assume their parents force them to practice every waking hour and beat them when they make a mistake.

[mjames]

Now I just feel bad for these kids who will have no childhood. I assume their parents force them to practice every waking hour and beat them when they make a mistake.

Great assumption. Friendly reminder that the prodigy Chopin willingly indulged himself in composition and public performances as a child as well. Was never forced upon him by adults.

Here's my pet theory: a lot of musicians incapable of displaying such talent get jealous when they say see successful prodigies and as a result try to imagine some fault or negative in it. You know nothing about the child, his upbringing, his parents, or environment. Him taking music seriously might be a result of his own demeanor, and he could be leading a perfectly happy childhood as well.

Bottom-line is, stop injecting falsehoods and failures just because you're unable to enjoy the success young talents.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Amazing.

[mjames]

This must have been awhile back! The guy is actually 6 years older than I am... 

There aren't many recent videos of him on youtube! Glad it worked out for the dude.

[preludetr]

Great assumption. Friendly reminder that the prodigy Chopin willingly indulged himself in composition and public performances as a child as well. Was never forced upon him by adults.

Here's my pet theory: a lot of musicians incapable of displaying such talent get jealous when they say see successful prodigies and as a result try to imagine some fault or negative in it. You know nothing about the child, his upbringing, his parents, or environment. Him taking music seriously might be a result of his own demeanor, and he could be leading a perfectly happy childhood as well.

Bottom-line is, stop injecting falsehoods and failures just because you're unable to enjoy the success young talents.

That's hardly a valid comparison because the expectations for musicians are now completely different than they were in Chopin's time. Nobody in the 19th century was playing like that at age 11... or at all. The writers of the time described even Liszt as making plenty of mistakes. But the great pianists of the day were also great composers. 19th century pianists were too busy composing to spend as much time exercising their mechanical chops, and they wouldn't have even felt the need to do that because nobody was expecting note-perfect performances.

As the focus has shifted from writing and creativity to mechanical feats at younger and younger ages, it's impossible for the pedagogy not to have changed. I can't imagine that this child's experience is anything like Chopin's was. In 50 years we will be forcing our children to play all the Chopin etudes (with zero mistakes, of course) by age 8. How will we make that happen without harsher and harsher discipline? I'd rather my kids spend quality time coming up with their own music than doing endless exercises.

[themeandvariation]

And here he is 11 years later… Conducting a masterclass.. which i think gives a sharp perspective on this Prokofiev sonata #7 - "War".. His comments start at the 11 minute mark… It takes a few minutes for him to warm up… but then, very descriptive and emotive, and brilliant..

[marik1]

Kids who can play Islamey, Gaspard and Don Juan are a dime a dozen nowadays. It stopped being impressive after the first 20 times. Now I just feel bad for these kids who will have no childhood. I assume their parents force them to practice every waking hour and beat them when they make a mistake.

The point here is not that he plays Chopin Etudes live at age 11 'without mistakes', but that he plays those on the highest artistic level, with real charisma and sensitivity, with highest degree of piano mastery, regardless of age. The op.10/2 is simply outstanding--extremely polished, even, very fast and light... mind you, right after op.10/1 live! It is already somewhere on the level of Mei Ting sun--something what you definitely don't really see a dime a dozen--it is quite impressive and unique enough, again, regardless of age.

As for 'forcing to practice'--we really do not know, however, any high achievements, whether it is art, sport, etc. require discipline, and hard work. Let's not forget that Bach, or Mozart became who they are not the least because of exhaustive training they received since they were little kids. On the other hand, with great and professional teaching, and talent and natural student's abilities this in fact, might be very easy for kids...

Best, M