Catch 'em young

As a father and therefore biased, I am wondering what to look for in a child to understand if there is a future pianist in the making.

I have noticed things that my daughter, who today is 1 year and 8 months old, does at the piano and I was wondering what your views are.

I would rather see your answers before posting what she does.

 

Not that advanced! So far only signing and almost playing a whole scale on the piano. In fact yesterday I was practising Tcherepnin's Bagatelle op 5/1 (in c minor) only to have her come along and start playing the bottom c. There was no need to worry about the bass line! At times I have to stop my practice, because she demands to practice herself and I need to cede my place, but no melodies so far. There is a lot of singing, however, and there seems to be a great enthusiasm for those Bagatelles.

There you were at two and I started at 18... I did, however, play the alto recorder from the age of 12 or so. I still have it, in matter of fact, a very superior Moeck, which could have followed me on a future career which never materialised.

 

I taught recorder for several years and I do think it transfers well to piano... most of my students transitioned nicely to piano after a couple years of recorder (a few of them went to violin, too, and did well).

How interesting that you have a Moeck! I do too - a ebony Rottenburgh with ivory rings from the 80's. Indeed, those are such musical and beautiful instruments.

I hope your little girl is indeed very musical. My singer grandmother said that you can often measure a child's ear and musicality by how much he or she sings and how on-pitch they are. The two best pianists out of my family were the ones that could hit pitches accurately when they were very young. I don't know if that pans out all the time, but the tidbit is interesting...

 

Oh yes, singing has been going on for almost a year now. I remember, when she still could not even crawl and was still on a pure milk diet, I placed her beside me while I played. Usually she fell asleep (twice listening to Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude :shock, but her signing along a Scarlatti Sonata was hard not to miss a note due to laughter.

Mornings she usually demands to listen to a CD. At times I actually have to put one in to keep her happy and she was singing along Tcherepnin's Bagatelles.

Oh, she gets her practice all right: I am the one who has a hard time to play!

The Moeck is the best example that recorders are "not for children". Mine is made of a light-coloured wood, however.

 

The Artist Herself. Not great music, but that we cannot hear! :lol:

 

Delightful!