Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Can a prodigy be "made"?

Dear Andromaque,

He's Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He plays in my favorite movie.

Exactly. Thats what makes them prodigies...they are hard-wired at the factory with talent for the expertise in the field in which they excell.

"Prodigy: A highly talented child or youth". Merriam-Webster online dictionary

"Talent: the natural endowments of a person; a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude ". Merriam-Webster online dictionary

If you truly want to understand conceptions of 'prodigy' there is a literature out there that is approachable.

An example:

Child Prodigies: A distinctive form of giftedness

I suspect Monica K. could also inform the discussion from direct professional reading.

Brooke Taylor, according to what you've said about yourself, you are probably the most talented pianist of all time, let alone a prodigy.

If you can train seals to do amazing things, why not children? Yeah, I know, seals have the advantage of not being human, but still...

I'm training my children to balance balls on their noses. The longer they can do it, the more fish I give them. Next comes playing "Three Blind Mice" on the bulb-horns.

and as anyone who has had children likely will tell you, this can be a big advantage indeed.

I bet that has taken more than 10 weeks!

Dear Brooke,

The terms 'prodigy' or 'talented' mean whatever you want them to mean, and have completely different meanings in the minds of different people.

The same concept applies for all people. Some will define 'really talented' as someone who can use 2 hands at the same time... others will only call 'really talented' as someone who can sight read beethoven..

So in response to your question... Yes a prodigy can be made and formed right now... In fact, I can make you one right now.

*I believe what you can do on the piano makes you a prodigy.*

Congratulations. You are prodigy in my mind. Now work on changing what prodigy means for you... until you believe you are one.

The point is, it's just a label. If you are one to me. You can be one to yourself, and you can be one to other people in the same way.

And then the penny drops... labels mean nothing but what you think they mean.

I don't agree with the label you've given to the word "label". To me, labels mean something, otherwise why give it?

Some people insist that words can mean whatever anyone else says they mean. Yet, when they order a pizza with pepperoni, actually expect to get a pizza with pepperoni.

Lets talk Tiger Woods....clearly he was his golf-loving father's "project". Fantastic golfer...fantastic person?

hippymusicman has a valid point here: what on earth does the term mean anyway? It's a continuum from dunce to prodigy, and in golfing terms Tiger Woods was clearly a prodigy, but it's all a moot point once you're into adolescence and heading toward adulthood: Tiger Woods does not win EVERY tournament in which he competes....

so at best this label is one that applies for a short while before you reach maturity, and then says nothing much about anything apart from your past.....

there are plenty of studies showing that prodigy is almost completely a matter of time spent (the 10,000 hours thing is part of these research findings), but of course, it's a rare 3 year old who wants to spend hours a day doing the same narrow range of activities....

aspiring to prodigy seems to have it the wrong way about.... and may be why it is so rare for a prodigy to be happy....

Indeed.

No, I don't think hippymusicman makes a valid point at all, unless you think language itself is meaningless.

People may not have noticed, but as I posted above, there is a sizable literature on this notion of 'prodigy.' You cannot have a meaningful discussion unless you are fairly precise about terms. I guess those of you who think all conceptions like this are meaningless likely think all science is just babble too, because every label just means something different to every person. Genuine communication requires a common understanding of terms, or at least a common understanding of why people are defining terms differently.

Well said, both of you!

I was taking as read that hippymusicman has invalid points.

The valid point is that the label 'prodigy' signifies little of consequence, particularly in the context of this discussion which asks not for evidence or research-based findings but your own thoughts. And one gets the impression that the question is not being asked in order to find the results of academic research in this field.

Brooke - are you interested in the research into high achievement in specific skill acquisition in young children, or are you wondering if you might be a prodigy yourself (and if not, how to become one)? Cos there's some good research out there that answers these questions, and it comes down to effort matched with appropriately focussed family support, and starting young enough.

Although there are some visual artists who take up painting in their dotage to great acclaim - do we regard these as 'prodigies'?

Dear cast12,

I think I am FAR from the most talented pianist of all time. Nor a prodigy! What makes you think that? Haha.

Hello Elissa!

No, I am not wondering if I am a prodigy. I just find the topic to be very fascinating! I don't even know if I am or not. My guess, is no. I just love playing!

-Brooke

I agree with Morodiene! Well said!

WinsomeAllegretto,

You have a good point. That is what I think. Thanks for answering!

-Brooke