Piano Prodigy In The Making

She just turned four last April, yet so early in her life she exhibits such talent. M's adorable little niece has displayed this aptitude to learn just about anything. But above everything else, there seems to be emerging, a remarkable musical ability. It started out at around age two, with her inventing songs about her grandmother, aunt, parents, and her brothers. The songs always expressed either her love for them or a story about them. It never was just the two-note or two-chord songs. It would always have a wide range of notes, complete with pianissimos to crescendos.

About a year ago, her seven-year old brother started piano lessons. Ever since then, we would find her from time to time, sitting in front of the piano trying out the keys. Lately, she has taken to playing with both hands at the same time. It is definitely not the thoughtless pounding that most kids do when their hands are on a piano. Hers is a sweet thoughtful melody with both hands playing, creating music that complement each other.

Last weekend, she had made a song that she had entitled, "Missing Building". :) She had a whole prologue explaining the story behind the title which I hadn't heard because I was preoccupied with something else. We asked her to perform it, so she sits herself in front of the piano and starts playing. We were surprised at what was flowing out of the fingers of a musically untrained four-year-old. It had a sad and melancholic feel to it. She ends it quite dramatically on the lowest note and lets her finger stay there until the sound faded. She then turns to us with a smile, and basks in our praise and applause. M, wanting to record the song, asks her to repeat the last part. She gamely turns around, repeats the ending down to the last note and finishes with flourish. We were stunned as it confirmed to us that it was not some random hitting of the piano keys, but an actual thought-out composition.

At the moment, she is enrolled in jazz, tap and karate. She is also supposed to start guitar lessons with the guitar that M & I bought her. However, I believe that my sister-in-law has a piano prodigy in the making. She knows she needs to hone that raw talent and bring her before a piano teacher soon!