Piano Wunderkind

My friend, Sue, sent me an email with a very fascinating video.

The video was of a Jay Leno show featuring Ethan Bortnick, a 6-year-old piano prodigy.

My first, somewhat jaded, impression was, "Oh, not another exploited talented kid who does not not know what it's like to be a kid."

However, when I watched the video, I was surprised and heartened to see a young boy, who despite his great and obvious talent, was still a young boy, and not some wizened old soul trapped in the body of a little kid.

The interview with Jay Leno was a hoot.

It's very obvious that Ethan is a "normal" 6-year-year old boy ~ albeit a precocious one ~ with a delightful 6-year-old's take on his worldly experiences.

And it's obvious that this kid does indeed have a very special gift.

What really impressed me with Ethan's musical genius was not so much his flawless and spirited playing of Joplin, Mozart, and Bach, but the sophisticated playfulness of his own composition, "The Tiger Ran Away At the Zoo."

Intrigued by this young master, I wanted to find out more about him. In doing so, I came across this video, which gave further insight into Ethan's life and development.



Aside from being surprised that Ethan's Russian parents spoke perfect English with nary a trace of a Russian accent, it was heartening to find out that his parents, while acknowledging their son's exceptional gift, were doing their best to make sure that Ethan was not robbed of the delights and joys of childhood.

All parents have great and serious responsibilities ~ to establish boundaries, to protect their children, to love and nurture them, and to encourage them.

However, when that child is a prodigy, there are many more mind-reeling responsibilities thrown into the mix. And it becomes a delicate balancing act.

Too many prodigies become exploited by parents whose intentions may not be in their talented child's best interest. And too many prodigies burn out.

According to Psychology Today, "the majority of childhood prodigies never fulfill their early promise."

This is further explained in Psychology Today's article, "Why Prodigies Fail."

I sincerely hope that Ethan will avoid the fate that has tested many young prodigies and that he will continue to develop his amazing gift without sacrificing his childhood and that he will continue to share his blessings with the rest of the world as he grows and develops into an adult.

And I sincerely hope that after Ethan gets older, when the world has stopped giving him the attention that it normally reserves for very young talented masters, he will hold on to the spark of joy that was ignited within him, and that he will hold onto the values that his parents tried to instill in him.

Years from now I hope to see Ethan Bortnick not only as an accomplished musician infecting the world with the love of music, but also as a well-balanced, respectful, and compassionate individual who has not lost the joy of being alive.