Playing the Piano: what talent

[amirm]

I am not a musician. But always had the wish to learn to play the keyboard. Anyway, just found this video by accident. 19 year old playing like this and started to learn when he was 14:

Seems like great talent to me. Here is his background:

 

[treitz3]

Wow! That young man definitely has some natural talent. I actually listened to the 2nd video's performance twice. This is not the last time we will be hearing about this performer, that I can almost put money on.

Thanks for posting this, Amir.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

That kid was fabulous! Where the heck is Hasslehoff coming from....

 

[amirm]

I fell off my chair when I heard his comment. In the US version, he likes every incompetent talent that would come on stage. I suspect they give them roles. In US, he was supposed to be the nice guy. In UK, they must have positioned him as the bad guy. Him being from the former colonies, should he say something wrong, there is no permanent damage.

 

[Steve williams]

I almost fell off my seat just seeing Hasselhoff there as a judge let alone his lame comment

 

[treitz3]

Yeah, I don't quite get where he's coming from. Then again, I'm not a trained musician either. Still surprised at his observations though. I wasn't expecting that.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Yeah, I don't quite get where he's coming from. Then again, I'm not a trained musician either. Still surprised at his observations though. I wasn't expecting that.

Obviously Hasselhof isn't either!

 

[amirm]

I think someone should judge him as the most incompetent judge on a reality show .

 

[Greg_R]

You guys need to go to a national (or even regional) piano competition and you'll see 10yr old kids with incredible (technical) skills --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIngPGtPYGI&feature=related

My Mom teaches piano and she's had two 'natural' talents in her 35yrs of teaching. These kids were playing the majority of Chopin etudes (like the one in the linked video) in under 2 years. For moderately talented folks this level of skill would take 7-8 yrs of dedicated study.

 

[treitz3]

Greg, to me the difference between the two is that one played music an the other recited. The 10 year old recited and was not musical. Talented, yes. Musical, no. At least IMO.

 

[Greg_R]

Greg, to me the difference between the two is that one played music an the other recited. The 10 year old recited and was not musical. Talented, yes. Musical, no. At least IMO.

Agreed. I should have probably found an example of someone his (Paul's) age who had both the technical skills and musicality (it's rare for a kid to have developed this). My point is that there are highly skilled young musicians out there that we never see on TV...