How do I know if my child is a piano prodigy?

Characteristics of Musical Prodigies They show curiosity and interest in musical instruments. They display unusual focus, attention and joy when music is present. Their memory, often generally, but specifically of music, is exceptional. They often come up with tunes they haven't heard before.

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The idea of exceptional, innate, individual talent has a powerful hold on the popular imagination, and there can be no greater example of it than in the person of child prodigies. A simple YouTube search will offer up an awe-inspiring selection of children exhibiting virtuoso skill on a variety of instruments, and some of the most enduring names in the history of music, names like Mozart, Chopin and Mendelssohn, also happen to be well-documented child prodigies. While some prodigies seem almost to be the natural evolution of talented parents, others seem to come out of nowhere, seemingly “touched” by the hand of Providence. So arises a most vexing question for many parents: could my child be a musical prodigy without my even knowing it?

What is a Musical Prodigy?

The definition of a prodigy is a hotly debated topic, but most contemporary researchers agree that in order to be a prodigy a child must perform at the level of a highly trained adult in a specialized field of endeavor. So really, the question is not ‘is my child a musical prodigy’ (if they are, they should be collecting a paycheck) but ‘do they have the potential to be one?’ That said, here are some things you can look for.

Characteristics of Musical Prodigies

Broadly speaking, the question you should be asking yourself is, ‘do they love music?’ Even at a very young age, if your child is potentially a prodigy, they should exhibit at least some of the following signs:

They recognize and respond to rhythm, melody and harmony

They show curiosity and interest in musical instruments

They display unusual focus, attention and joy when music is present

Their memory, often generally, but specifically of music, is exceptional

They often come up with tunes they haven’t heard before

My Child has Potential, What Now?

So you see the signs, and you’re wondering what to do next. You certainly don’t want to impede, or god forbid, obstruct your child’s success. It is important to be proactive, but a prodigy will need little more than a healthy and nurturing environment to allow them to reach their potential. It may be important to expose them to a variety of musical styles and instruments. While it is certainly important to learn the importance of practice and a disciplined approach, gifted children should be given the opportunity to find something that arouses their curiosity and captures their attention. From there, their natural propensity, and the guidance of a qualified teacher should be enough to induce the flowering of their natural talent. A prodigy will not spend years struggling with piano lessons, only to suddenly “get it,” at age sixteen, and go on to a successful career in music. That may happen, but not for a prodigy. Once a prodigy finds where their talent lies, they will not need to be pushed to do it. The challenge as a parent will be to balance the development of their talent with their personal, social and intellectual development and to give the best child care they can be provided with.

Author Bio:

Gina Brewton has been in the home improvement industry for the past 7 years. She is a mom of 2 kids. She is also a part time interior designer. She has her interests in cooking, photography, craft and painting. Follow her on twitter@ginabrewton.

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Why does a piano have 3 pedals?

There are three pedals on the grand piano – they are named, from left to right, the una corda, sostenuto, and damper pedal. The purpose of the pedals is to change the tone of the piano in some way.

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The Pedals

Three Pedals on the Grand

There are three pedals on the grand piano they are named, from left to right, the una corda, sostenuto, and damper pedal. The purpose of the pedals is to change the tone of the piano in some way. The damper pedal, also called the sustain pedal, prolongs the sound of the piano by lifting all of the dampers off the strings. This sustains the sound, and also allows all of the strings to vibrate sympathetically. The sostenuto pedal acts as a selective damper when the pedal is activated, the sostenuto rod engages and holds up only those dampers that have been raised by their keys. The dampers that are at rest remain unaffected. This sustains only the notes that are depressed when the pedal is activated. The una corda thins the tone of the piano by shifting the entire keyboard and action slightly to the right so that the hammers do not strike all of the strings. The shifting of the action also allows the hammers to strike the string with a different portion of the hammer head. Over time, the felt of the hammer head can become compacted from repeatedly striking the strings. When the keyboard is shifted, the hammers strike the strings with a different, softer portion of the hammer head, which affects the sound. The pedals are held in place by the pedal support structure, which is part of the case of the piano. The system of springs and levers that the pedals operate is called the trapwork.

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