Tags
Child prodigy, Homeschooling, Lia, Ludwig van Beethoven, Mark O'Connor, Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Writing
Lia’s violin teacher hand out a flyer for a child prodigy’s concert. All music teachers and parents are hoping their kids have this kind of so called talent There are people called Lia prodigy too and yes by the time she turn 15 she might be able to apply for university or college. She does has some talent, not enough to be called a prodigy if you sk me. The main point is I don’t want her lives as a prodigy, I want her feel and enjoy the music, play the music in her understanding and come out from her heart. When her fingers are flying on the strings, it’s the beat of her heart not 1/16 CDEFGAB. When she stands on stage to compete I want her forget about the contest, relax and be herself. I saw a documentary of a piano prodigy. When he was 6 he was performing at Carnage Hall and was featured in Ellen Degenres’ show. He was home schooled so he can practice all day. And he traveled around the world more than 200 days a year to perform. Yes, he play piano like Mozart, has no childhood, no friends, just like Mozart too. Do I want my children to be like that, definitely not. Mark O’Connor said he won more than 400 contests, yes, it’s also means his parents drive him to every single contests they found in the country. What is the limit? These prodigies were made by the parents.
Lia won every contests she went, some are bigger some are smaller but we traveled for the experience and to meet some fiddle friends, have fun in the camp on the way, not just go to contests.
Is it really worthy to skip a kid’s whole childhood to make a prodigy, do he really can express the music or just has mechanical skill. How much a 6 years old can understand of the sadness of Tchaikovsky and the heaviness of Bach or Beethoven? How can a 6 years old brain interpret a composer’s deep thought of their whole life? I remember after a lesson with my writing teacher I went to a famous poet’s home and asked a copy of his work which is out of print. I was asking in a worship tone as I felt the depth of his writing. But the first thing he said to me is “Young kid, do you really understand my poems?” I was in my early 20s when I saw him, and my writing was like a veteran. There is a professor from other country wrote to me asked for my book as he thought I was an old guy. The poet words hurt me, but I understood why he asked. It didn’t matter if I had an old soul, he can’t imagine an young “kid” reading his writing of a half century life experience. Prodigy, hum?