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 (under age 10) who displayed a talent in music deemed to make them competitive with skilled adult musicians. The list is sorted by instrument.
Name | Born | Instrument | Debut [a] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles-Valentin Alkan | 1813 | Piano | 5 | Entered Paris Conservatoire at age 5, youngest ever admission. [4] |
Martha Argerich | 1941 | Piano | 4 | Orchestral debut at age eight [5] |
Kit Armstrong | 1992 | Piano | 5 | Concerto debut at eight; Morton Gould Young Composer Award for five consecutive years [6] |
Claudio Arrau | 1903 | Piano | 5 | Could read notes before letters [7] |
Daniel Barenboim | 1942 | Piano | 7 | [8] |
Emily Bear | 2001 | Piano | 5 | Composed and released her first piano album at age five [ citation needed] |
Vincenzo Bellini | 1801 | Piano | 5 | Began studying music theory at two, the piano at three, and by the age of five could apparently play well |
Lili Boulanger | 1893 | Piano, violin, cello, harp | 6 | Attended Louis Vierne's organ classes at the Paris Conservatoire at age six [9] |
Frédéric Chopin | 1810 | Piano | 7 | Wrote his first composition, a polonaise, which is still studied and performed today. [10] |
Georges Cziffra | 1921 | Piano | 9 | Entered the Franz Liszt Academy at age nine, after some four years performing in a traveling circus |
Carl Filtsch | 1830 | Piano | 6 | Composed concerto at thirteen; died at age fourteen [11] |
Charly García | 1951 | Piano | 5 | Gave his first public recital at age five, became a music professor at age twelve. |
Cory Henry | 1987 | Piano, Organ | 6 | Began playing both the piano and the B3 organ at two years old; played a recital at the Apollo Theater when he was six. [12] [13] |
Josef Hofmann | 1876 | Piano | 10 | [14] |
Evgeny Kissin | 1971 | Piano | 10 | Entered music school at age six [15] |
Alicia de Larrocha | 1923 | Piano | 5 | She gave her first public performance at the age of five at the International Exposition in Barcelona. [16] |
Franz Liszt | 1811 | Piano | 9 | Performed first major concert at age eleven [17] |
Maria Anna Mozart | 1751 | Harpsichord, fortepiano | 7 | Performed 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. [18] |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 1756 | Piano, violin, composition | 4 | One of the most prolific composers of the Classical Era. Performed all over Europe with his father Leopold and sister Nannerl [19] |
Sergei Prokofiev | 1891 | Piano | 9 | Composed an opera at age nine |
Camille Saint-Saëns | 1835 | Piano | 5 | Gave his first public recital at age five |
Ruth Slenczynska | 1925 | Piano | 6 | She played her debut in Berlin at age six and made her debut in Paris with a full orchestra at seven years of age. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] |
Name | Born | Talent | Debut [a] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Samuel Barber | 1910 | Composer, conductor | 7 | Attempted an opera at age ten; attended the Curtis Institute of Music at age fourteen [25] |
Ethan Bortnick | 2000 | Composer, pianist | 7 | Ethan began playing a keyboard at the age of three and was composing music by the age of five. [26] [27] "World's Smartest Kids". Oprah.com. Retrieved 2024-04-07.</ref> |
Ferruccio Busoni | 1866 | Pianist, composer, conductor, editor, writer, and educator | Composed quartet at age 11 | |
Frédéric Chopin | 1810 | Composer | 7 | Began concerts and polonaises at age seven; attained notability by age fifteen [28] |
Alma Deutscher | 2005 | Composer, pianist, violinist | 6 | Composed first piano sonata at age six, first violin concerto at age nine, and first full-length opera, Cinderella, at age ten. [29] |
César Franck | 1822 | Composer, organist, pianist, teacher | Attempted piano concerto at age 12 and cantata at age 13 among other various works. | |
Morton Gould | 1913 | Composer, conductor, pianist | 6 | [30] |
Jay Greenberg | 1991 | Composer | Entered Juilliard school at age 10; first symphony at age 11 | |
Evgeny Kissin | 1971 | Pianist and Composer | Started composing significant output at age 7 including early work, ‘Petrushka.’ | |
Erich Wolfgang Korngold | 1897 | Composer, conductor | 9 | Started composing at age 7. Wrote cantata at age 9 and first ballet, ‘Der Schneemann’ at age 11. |
Franz Liszt | 1811 | Composer, pianist, conductor, teacher | Was the only child composer to write for a set of Diabelli variations at age 11, and composed opera at age 13. | |
André Mathieu | 1929 | Composer and pianist | Wrote etudes and other works at age 4; piano concertino at age 7 performed with orchestra. | |
Felix Mendelssohn | 1809 | Composer, conductor | 9 | [31] |
Gian Carlo Menotti | 1911 | Composer, librettist, playwright, director | 7 | Started composing at 7; composed first opera at age eleven [32] |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 1756 | Composer | 4 | His first compositions were Andante (K. 1a) and Allegro (K. 1b) [33] |
Niccolò Paganini | 1782 | Composer, violinist | 7 | [34] |
Sergei Prokofiev | 1891 | Composer, pianist, and conductor | Composed first piano piece at age 5. First operetta, ‘The Giant’ composed at age 9. | |
Sergei Rachmaninoff | 1873 | Composer, pianist | Wrote 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. | |
Nino Rota | 1911 | Composer | 8 | First piano composition at age eight; attended Milan Conservatory at age 9; first opera performed publicly at age eleven [35] |
Anton Rubinstein | 1829 | Pianist, composer, conductor | Composed piano etude, ‘Ondine’ at age 11. | |
Camille Saint-Saëns | 1835 | Composer, organist, conductor, and pianist | Wrote first pieces at age 3 | |
Franz Schubert | 1797 | Composer, pianist, violinist | Composed various works from a young age | |
Clara Schumann | 1819 | Pianist, composer, piano teacher | Composed 4 polonaises at 10, piano sonata at age 13, and premiered her own piano concerto age age 14-15. | |
Blind Tom Wiggins | 1849 | Composer, pianist | Composed music from the age 4-5 including pieces like ‘The Rainstorm’ He and was able to memorize entire speeches with nuances. |
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.
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.