Child Music Prodigies That Made It Big

Psychology research literature defines a child prodigy as an individual under ten years, who has a meaningful output in a particular domain that resembles the output of an adult performer. Prodigies are common in competitive games, music, math, and science. There have been many music prodigies since 1870. The following are four child music prodigies that made it big.

1. Charles-Valentin Alkan

Charles joined the Conservatoire de Paris at a tender age to study organ and piano. There are several records of his auditions in Archives Nationales, Paris. Examiners spotted Charles on July 3, 1819, in a solfege audition when he was 5 years and 7 months old. The prodigy had a beautiful voice. Charles was named Alkan Morhange during a piano audition on October 6, 1820. Examiners praised him for his amazing abilities.

Joseph Zimmerman, from the Conservatoire, loved Charles. He taught other talented children such as Ambroise Thomas, Charles Gounod, Cesar Franck, and Georges Bizet. Charles won his first solfege prize at the age of seven. Also, he later won other prizes in harmony, organ, and piano.

2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart was one of the child music stars in the eighteenth century. He was born and raised in Austria. The music prodigy developed an interest in the harpsichord at the age of 3. Mozart composed the first piece of published music when he was 5 years old. He had written several operas, concertos, symphonies, and sonatas by the age of 18.

He traveled in Europe together with Maria Anna, his sister, and showcased their talents in public concerts and royal courts. The duo toured cities such as Bavaria and Paris. His unique ability to play and improve the piano with one hand or when blindfolded stunned many audiences.

Dianes Barrington, a British attorney, and naturalist once examined and tested Wolfgang in 1764 during a stopover in London. Wolfgang later grew to be one of the most prolific composers in Europe. He passed away at the age of 35, having written over 600 pieces of music.

3. Clara Schumann

Clara was born in Germany and started speaking when she was 4 years old. The music prodigy often spent three hours per day studying the piano by the age of 7. She started writing beautiful pieces of music when she was 10 and performed in her first concert in 1830 when she was 11 years old. Clara started touring Europe in 1831 where her unique ability to play piano from memory astonished many people. She married Robert Schumann, a talented composer, in 1840. She continued writing and performing as she raised her children.

4. Martha Argerich

Martha was born on June 5, 1941. She is a classical concert pianist who performed her first concert when she was 8 years old. Martha started playing Beethoven's First Piano Concerto in C major and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor. She won the International Chopin Piano Competition in 1965, in Warsaw at the age of 24. The music prodigy debuted in Lincoln Center's Great Performers Series in 1965, in the U.S.

Wolfgang Mozart was the most renowned music prodigy in the eighteenth century. Chopin published his piece at the age of seven. Charles-Valentin Alkan, Clara Schumann, and Martha Argerich impressed audiences in concerts at a tender age. Child music prodigies have showcased rare talents for over two centuries.