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I think that's a little harsh and depends what you mean by "decently". Although your criticsms are valid, I think she plays it better than all but around 2-3% of all people of any age who play piano. So for a seven year extremely good(less than 1% could play it that well) but maybe not prodigy level(whatever that means...everything is relative).

I agree with pianoloverus; that's a bit harsh, considering her age.

She is in the best of hands with loving teachers that know the ways of the claissical music field. It is just sad that there is soo little in the way of finincial aid out there to help these young aspiring kids. What is one to do if they win a competition in another state and the only way to get there award is to perform there which will require two plane tickets, a hotel for the night, a taxie etc... and then on top of that you have already paid $200+ in competition fees and entry fees. It is a true up hill battle even with all the help and support we recieve from friends and family. We hope the Ellen show will open up some doors for her and make her goal a little eaiser to reach.

Steve

I see two problems with this..

One if you want to watch a professional pianist......Go watch a professional pianist. It will be more enjoyable to you. Of course a kid is not going to be able to do as well. Even a prodigy.

I can understand why some people are harsh. When it comes down to it. Playing good is not enough in the end. Reminds me of that film The Competition. Where the mother says to her son "You play like an angel, shouldn't that be enough.." His reply was "We all play like angels." Then goes on to talk about the girl who dresses younger then she was. I can understand why we as a group expect something more. When it comes down to what a lot of us can do, just being able to play is the normal.

As for exploitation...I think we should give the benefit of the doubt on that one. No one has any proof that is going on....And we can't possibly speak for the girl.

I totally agree with wr. These kids are talented but they're not the ones putting up videos or talking about how they're prodigies, it's their parents. Their parents ought to be proud but flinging them into performances like this isn't always good for them. Look what happened to Mozart with his dad.

Regarding the girl, she seems to be having fun, and she IS talented. But I wonder who picked out the Minute Waltz for her to play?

Hi Steve,

I enjoyed the Chopin waltz, but what I really found on your YT channel that I though was great was the Liszt Gnomenreigen . Tell Umi "great work" from me. My only concern is that her shoulders appeared to be tense to me; but those poofy sleeves might have been contributing slightly to an optical illusion.

I can tell that in the year between the Chopin and the Liszt her touch has gotten lighter. However, some of the perceived heavy touch in the Chopin CC2 linked to might have been the acoustic combined with poorer recording quality.

Obviously, I'm not actually "getting harsh with a child" because that child is not posting on this forum. I shouldn't have needed to explain that.

Isn't it possible for children to be exploited even while apparently enjoying it?

Children are considered not to know what's in their best interest, and there are things to which they cannot legally give informed consent; it goes with the territory of being a minor. It's assumed that parents or guardians will act in their children's best interests, but that doesn't always happen; sometimes they are ignorant or misguided, and sometimes the child's needs just aren't a priority.

Like wr, I had some traumatic experiences as a kid. Learning to play and read music in earliest childhood was a great advantage, but being pushed too fast too soon to perform—while fun at first—had effects that scarred me enough to abandon piano completely for several years (and to continue abandoning it periodically throughout adulthood). Because I had learned nothing about artistry or the personal relevance of musical expression, cultivating and reclaiming them—and overcoming cycles of ambivalence and even antipathy—has been a lifelong struggle.

I wouldn't wish to be the outsider judging what differentiates active encouragement from inappropriately aggressive promotion, and I sure don't envy the parent charged with that responsibility.

Steven

Like the rotation on these cirlces?

To some degree or another I've known three of the contestants who happen to be competing this month in the Van Cliburn competition. Two have performed at my house and one I arranged to perform as a teenager with a local orchestra.

They have worked at the piano almost all of their lives, and in every case it started as a requirement imposed on them by their parents. Their parents were very driven people, constantly looking for opportunities for their children to perform. Exactly when the parent should begin pushing the child in front of the public is a difficult question, but often the determination is made not by the parent (and certainly not by the child), but by the teacher. At least if they have a very good teacher.

Once these kids went on to conservatory (Julliard, Curtis, etc.), the parents were forced to butt out and stop acting as career managers. The teachers and the school take on that role, except interestingly on those occasions when the parents can still arrange a gig back home during a school break. At this point, though, the child is now a teenager/adult, and wants every exposure possible, because everyone in the conservatory knows how difficult a music career is and how important exposure is.

I'm sure there are many more cases where the child prodigy fizzles out or drops out, so it is difficult to say at this stage what will happen to Umi. What I've seen though, is that before age ten parental pressure to practice, and parental help in getting public performance experience, is important as long as the child enjoys both of these experiences. If the child is only going through the motions, it is probably useless to expect much. Second, the parent has to be prepared to get out of the picture once a really good teacher takes over the education, and especially if a top conservatory is involved. Then it becomes more and more what that young adult wants for herself or himself, and how badly they want it.

And that, by the way, is only the career part, and says nothing about whether the child can emotionally identify with the music being performed. One big clue I have seen is whether the child starts asking questions about the composer, the musical period at the time, and especially when the child wants to explore other piano literature. That's a big step forward to engagement with music, not just with a piano career.

All very good points.

I think most of this applies to the non-prodigy as well. If a child is not motivated, parental pushing is counter-productive on many levels. If they are, but they are not fully focussed, the parent can provide some of that focus and discipline. Not forever, of course. Butting out is hard, as I know from first-hand experience. And it's not instant, as in switching off a light.

I really don't have a problem with parents working with getting their talented kids to develop their talent as fully as possible, but the line between that and turning the child into a "musical genius project" rather than a well-rounded human being is mighty thin indeed, IMO.

I also agree that some public performance experience for really young kids (i.e., pre-teens) can be a good thing, if it can kept within the range of what most kids do. But if talented tykes start getting presented as extraordinary and sensational, to audiences far and wide, their psyches are in real danger of getting thoroughly warped, and I am not convinced the musical results are worth it, no matter how well they might play.

I think that there is nothing wrong with parents sharing their child's gifts for others to enjoy (isn't that what music is all about?) as long as the child is enjoying the process of sharing. I understand how it could easily get out of control, but if a child (or anyone that has a great talent, then let it be shared!)

As far as comparing pianists, what is the benefit of this, unless you talk privately, but I don't think it should happen on a public forum.

I think Umi plays superbly and I hope her all the best on the Ellen show and for the future.

The competition circuit is a horror and has nothing to do with music.

A parent who pushes their child in that direction is bloodthirsty.

Run, run, little Umi, run, while you still can ...

Thanks for that well thought out and nuanced view. I'm sure the Garrett's will benefit greatly.

As one who has personally benefited from a similarly well thought out and nuanced view from the same source, I'm not surprised.

Steven

Thank you for the compliment.

My level of agreement with this depends on the definition of "sharing the child's gifts" I guess (not that my opinion matters too much). If a kid likes to perform, then hauling them down to the local senior citizen's center and having them play, I would agree, is "sharing their gifts". Ditto if you tape them playing and put it up on YouTube because you're proud of them and so your friends and relatives can see.

But putting them on a very competitive national stage (tv appearances, competitions)? _Promoting_ them as prodigies, or incredibly gifted? Not so sure. Because if you do that, and the kid is _not_ one of the very very few at the very, very top?

What happens then? Some people will ooh and ahhh and coo over them and talk about how wonderful and special they are...then along will come people who rip them to shreds for 'not being that good' or 'clearly not at the level of so-and-so who is X years younger." And what does that do to a musician's self-confidence and sense of self? It seems to me that if the child is not one truly of the best in the world at their age, PR touting them as a 'prodigy' or an 'incredible pianist at the beginning of a world-class career' will do more harm than good.

You may be a very big duck on your little pond but sooner or later (on this path, sooner) you're in the ocean with the sharks. And you are a very small duck indeed.

I don't know why the music world needs another (or, for that matter, any) child prodigy. It doesn't do any favors for the child and the resulting emphasis on race-the-clock child performers doesn't do any good for the world of classical music, in my opinion. Who cares who will be the youngest to do Rach 3 with the London Symphony?? When we have adults of great artistry who have a hard enough time trying to make a living? What's the point of promoting little kids?

I do applaud a parent trying to give a child who loves music and hopes to make a career out of it (assuming the child does want this) every opportunity. And as someone who grew up in the middle of nowhere I do understand it generally takes connections, and money, to be able to get a musical education capable of reaching that goal. I just have qualms about promoting kids.

Well the recording for the Ellen show happened on the 14th, I was just blown away by how well they treated us they were so nice. There was allot of dancing going on and I think that really helps everyone feel good and happy. It went very well, I feel her teacher was very instrumental in making this a great moment that Umi will cherish forever. We are so proud of her. As long as she wants to keep pursuing her goal, my wife and I will do our best to keep up with her. Back stage Jamie Foxx even shook Umi's hand and congratulated her on the performance.

Be sure not to miss the show, it will be this coming Monday!

Steve (Umi's Dad)

That's great Umi's dad!

I'll set up my tape to watch it since I'll be out working.

Give her a great big hug from her supporters. ;-)