List of music prodigies

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This is a list of music prodigies, young children (at or under age 12) who displayed a talent in music deemed to make them competitive with skilled adult musicians. The list is sorted by genre and instrument.

Contents 1 Classical and opera 1.1 Piano and organ 1.2 Strings 1.3 Composing and conducting 2 Non-classical genres predating WWII 2.1 Country and bluegrass 2.2 Folk and world music 2.3 Blues 2.4 Jazz and jazz-fusion 3 Post-war genres 3.1 R&B, soul, and funk 3.2 Pop 3.3 Alternative and rock 4 Autistic savant prodigies 5 See also 6 Further reading 7 References

[edit] Classical and opera

[edit] Piano and organ

Name	Instrument(s)	Debut[1]	Notes
Isaac Albéniz	Piano	4	Entered the Royal Conservatory of Music at age eight[1]
Charles-Valentin Alkan	Piano	12	Entered Paris Conservatory of Music at age five, debut at age twelve
Martha Argerich	Piano	4	Orchestral debut at age eight [2]
Claudio Arrau	Piano	5	Could read notes before letters [3]
Steve Barakatt	Piano	5	Guest soloist of Quebec Symphonic Orchestra at age thirteen [4]
Daniel Barenboim	Piano	7	[5]
Enrique Batiz	Piano	5	Now a conductor [6]
Sean Bennett	Piano	7	Won a Disney song-arranging prize at age five [7]
Victor Borge	Piano	8	Won a full scholarship to the Royal Danish Music Conservatory at the age of nine [8]
Ethan Bortnick	Piano	5	Began composing at age five [9]
Lili Boulanger	Piano, violin, cello, harp		Attended Louis Vierne's organ classes at the Paris Conservatoire at age six [10]
Natan Brand	Piano	11
Cameron Carpenter	Organ	11	Performed J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier from memory at age 11
Frédéric Chopin	Piano	8	Performed publicly at age eight
Solomon Cutner	Piano	10
Sandrine Erdely-Sayo	Piano	4	Performed at the Paris Superior Conservatory at age fourteen[citation needed]
Carl Filtsch	Piano	6	Composed concerto at thirteen; died at fourteen [11]
Charly García	Piano		Entered prestigious conservatory Thibaud Piazzini at age three; received the title of Music Professor at age twelve; developed perfect pitch as a child[citation needed]
Louis Moreau Gottschalk	Piano	11	Moved to Europe for classical training at thirteen [12]
Józef Hofmann	Piano	10	[13]
Evgeny Kissin	Piano		Entered music school at age six [14]
Utsav Lal	Piano	9	Performed over 45 concerts at a young age [15]
Lang Lang	Piano		Began playing at age two; entered Beijing Conservatory at age eight; won international competitions at age thirteen [16]
Franz Liszt	Piano	9	Performed first major concert at age eleven [17]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano, violin	6	One of the most prolific composers of the Classical Era [18]
Ervin Nyíregyházi	Piano		[19]
Leo Ornstein	Piano		Entered Saint Petersburg Conservatory at age ten [20]
Sergei Prokofiev	Piano		Composed opera at age nine
Jordan Rudess	Piano, keyboard, guitar		Entered the Juilliard at age nine;[citation needed] keyboardist for Dream Theater
Ernest Schelling	Piano	4	Began studies in Europe at age seven [21]
Philippa Schuyler	Piano	11	[22]
Ruth Slenczynska	Piano	11	Played with a full orchestra at age eleven; writer of Forbidden Childhood [23]
Zeyda Ruga Suzuki	Piano	11	Began playing at age three; orchestral debut at age 8; entered the Curtis Institute of Music at age 16 and was a student there of Rudolf Serkin
Alicia Witt	Piano	7	Won several piano competitions in the years after her debut [24]

[edit] Strings

Name	Instrument(s)	Debut[2]	Notes
Linda Brava	Violin	11	World-wide tours at age eight, leader of the prestigious Helsinki Juniorstrings at thirteen [25][26]
Sarah Chang	Violin	8	[27]
Jacqueline du Pré	Cello	8	[28]
Midori Goto	Violin	11	[29]
Ida Haendel	Violin		Prizewinner in Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition at age six [30]
Jascha Heifetz	Violin	7	[31]
Christoph Koncz	Violin		Entered the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien at age six [32]
Saundra (Berkova) Maazel	Violin	5	[33]
Yehudi Menuhin	Violin	7	[34]
Stefan Milenković	Violin	10	First international award at age seven [35]
Jose Ramos Moreno Jr	Cello	4	Orchestral debut at age six; first composed at age eight; studied in workshops with the New York Philharmonic[citation needed]
David Oistrakh	Violin	6	[36]
Gregor Piatigorsky	Cello		Entered the Moscow Conservatory at age eleven; headed a quartet at age fifteen [37]
Michael Rabin	Violin	10	Could "keep beat" at age one [38]
Ruggiero Ricci	Violin	10	Began international tours at age fourteen [39]
Clara Rockmore	Violin, theremin	9	Entered the Imperial Conservatory at age five, the youngest ever student [40]
Ruby Jane Smith	Violin,main instrument	10	after hearing a song, play it back by ear at age 5, performed on Grand Ole Opry at 10, youngest ever invited,MS State fiddle champion at 10 [41]

[edit] Composing and conducting

Name	Talent	Debut[3]	Notes
Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga	Composer	11	Composed a two-act opera at age thirteen [42]
Samuel Barber	Composer, conductor	7	Attempted an opera at age ten; attended the Curtis Institute of Music at age fourteen [43]
Georges Bizet	Conductor		Entered the Paris Conservatoire at age ten [44]
Frédéric Chopin	Composer	7	Began concerts and polonaises at age seven; attained notability by age fifteen [45]
Ruth Gipps	Composer, conductor	8	[46]
Morton Gould	Composer, conductor	6	[47]
Jay Greenberg	Composer	12	Entered Juilliard School at age ten; composed five symphonies by age twelve [48]
Erich Wolfgang Korngold	Composer, conductor	11	[49]
Lorin Maazel	Conductor	7	[50]
Felix Mendelssohn	Composer, conductor	12	[51]
Gian Carlo Menotti	Composer	7	Composed first opera at age eleven [52]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart		5	His first compositions were Andante (K. 1a) and Allegro (K. 1b) [4]
Olli Mustonen		?	He wrote a Divertimento for piano and orchestra at the age of 12, and his piano concerto at the age of 14. [53]
Niccolò Paganini	Composer	7	[54]
Alex Prior	Composer, conductor	8	[55]
Henry Purcell		11	Composed an ode for Charles II of England's birthday at age eleven[citation needed]
Josef Rheinberger	Composer	7	Entered the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München at age twelve [56]
Camille Saint-Saëns		3	[citation needed]
Julian Scriabin	Composer	c. 9–11	[57]
Heikki Suolahti			Wrote Sinfonia piccola at age of 15 and several large scale works in a short time span.[citation needed]

[edit] Non-classical genres predating WWII

[edit] Country and bluegrass

• Billy Gilman: Had a hit single at age eleven [58]; was nominated for a Grammy Award against adult competition at age twelve[59]
• Alison Krauss: Won local competitions at age ten and was named the most promising Midwestern fiddler at age twelve [60]
• Brenda Lee: Debuted at age ten [61]
• Doug Sahm: Played with Hank Williams at age eleven; released an album by age fourteen [62]; later helped form the rock band Sir Douglas Quintet and the Tejano music related Texas Tornados
• Ricky Skaggs: Mandolin virtuoso; performed with Flatt and Scruggs at age seven [63]
• Chris Thile: Cofounded Nickel Creek at age eight [64][65]

[edit] Folk and world music

• Areti Ketime: Debuted at age six; performed at the 2004 Summer Olympics at age fourteen [66]
• Adán Sánchez: Released first album at age eleven [67]
• Wajahat Khan: Performed internationally as a singer at age eight
• Cassius Khan: Only musician in the world to play tabla and sing ghazals simultaneously; first recorded at age thirteen [68]
• Zulkifli Mohamed Amin: Wrote first successful composition at age thirteen^{[citation needed]}
• Paco de Lucía: Awarded a special prize in the Jerez flamenco professional competition at age twelve^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Blues

• Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Began at age seven; performed onstage with professionals at age thirteen [69]
• Joe Bonamassa: Began playing guitar at age four, taught by Danny Gatton; opened for B.B. King at age twelve [70]

[edit] Jazz and jazz-fusion

• Shelly Berg: Entered the Cleveland Institute of Music at age six; was a professional musician at age thirteen [71]
• Terri Lyne Carrington: Awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music at age eleven [72]
• Cyrus Chestnut: Entered the Peabody Institute at age nine [73]
• Cy Coleman: Played in Carnegie Hall at age seven [74]
• Harry Connick Jr: Learned the keyboard at the age of three; played publicly at age six; recorded Dixieland Plus with a local jazz band at age ten^{[citation needed]}
• Eldar Djangirov: "Discovered" at age nine; became the youngest musician to appear on Piano Jazz at age twelve; released his first CD at age fourteen [75]
• Taylor Eigsti: Opened for David Benoit at age eight and played with Dave Brubeck at age twelve [76]
• Herbie Hancock: Performed on piano with the Chicago symphony at age eleven; began playing jazz later in college [77]
• Wynton Marsalis: Began playing trumpet at age six; performed with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra at age fourteen^{[citation needed]}
• Buddy Rich: Began playing drums at 18 months old; was a bandleader by age eleven [78]
• Hilton Ruiz: Performed at Carnegie Recital Hall at age eight; played in an accordion symphony at age nine [79][80]
• Consuelo Velázquez: Began playing at age four [81]; performed piano concerto at age six [82]; wrote Bésame Mucho at age sixteen
• Mary Lou Williams: Taught herself piano before age five; played professionally by age thirteen [83]
• Ryan Williams: Taught himself to play soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones before age eight; played professionally by age fourteen [84]

[edit] Post-war genres

[edit] R&B, soul, and funk

• Tiffany Evans: Notable performer of the remake of Star Search at age ten.^{[citation needed]}
• Michael Jackson: Joined his older siblings in the Jackson 5 at age five; his dancing, singing and performing abilities soon surpassed his older siblings; become an international superstar selling over 750 million records worldwide.^[5]
• Gladys Knight: Began performing at age four; won on the Original Amateur Hour at age seven; toured at age eight [85]
• Bianca Ryan: A regular performer of The Star-Spangled Banner at Philadelphia-area professional sporting events; won the début season of America's Got Talent at age eleven^{[citation needed]}
• Stevie Wonder: Skilled at multiple instruments early; signed to Motown at age eleven; first U.S. number-one hit at age thirteen.^[6]
• Bernie Worrell: Originally classically trained; wrote a concerto at age eight.^[7]

[edit] Pop

• Dido: Entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at age six.^[8]
• Marvin Hamlisch: Became the youngest student ever accepted by the Juilliard School of Music at age seven.^[9]

[edit] Alternative and rock

• Tori Amos: Became the youngest person (at that time) to attend the Peabody Institute at age five.^[10]
• Michael Angelo Batio: Composed music for piano by age five.^{[citation needed]}
• Björk: Began classical study at age five; released an album at age eleven [86]
• Alanis Morissette: Released her first song at age ten, which later became an unsuccessful single; became a protege of a local folk musician; had her own record and record producing company at an early age CNN
• Thomas Pridgen: Won a drum-off competition at age nine; received a Zildjian endorsement at age ten; received a four-year-scholarship to Berklee School of Music at age fifteen; currently the drummer for the band The Mars Volta^{[citation needed]}
• Jordan Rudess: Entered the Juilliard School at age nine
• Steve Winwood: Played in the "The Ron Atkinson Band" at age eight [87]; was backing blues legends by age thirteen on United Kingdom tours; became the keyboardist for The Spencer Davis Group at age fifteen^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Autistic savant prodigies

• Tony DeBlois: Started playing piano at age two^{[citation needed]}
• Thristan Mendoza: Declared a prodigy playing the marimba at age eight by the University of the Philippines^{[citation needed]}
• Derek Paravicini: Played with Royal Philharmonic Pops Orchestra in London at age nine^{[citation needed]}
• Matt Savage: Taught himself to read music at age six; studied at the New England Conservatory of Music at age seven[88]
• Blind Tom Wiggins: Began composing at age six; now believed to have been an autistic savant, though he was not diagnosed as such during his lifetime [89]

[edit] See also

• List of child prodigies

the most recent musical prodigy is august rush he was very young but his music is amazing

• List of musicians

[edit] Further reading

• Musical Prodigies: Masters at an Early Age by Renee B. Fisher ISBN 0-8096-1854-0
• Musical Prodigies: Perilous Journeys, Remarkable Lives by Claude Kenneson ISBN 1-57467-046-8

[edit] References

1. ^ The age at which the musician had their first public performance.
2. ^ The age at which the musician had their first public performance.
3. ^ The age at which the composer first composed.
4. ^ Cliff Eisen, Stanley Sadie, '(Johann Chrysostom) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed May 9, 2006)
5. ^ CBS: Pop Icon Looks Back At A "Thriller" Of A Career In New Interview
6. ^ allmusic ((( Stevie Wonder > Biography )))
7. ^ Bernie Worrell | View the Music Artists Biography Online | VH1.com
8. ^ Dido (I) - Biography
9. ^ Broadway: The American Musical . Stars Over Broadway . Marvin Hamlisch | PBS
10. ^ Tori Amos - Biography