2/26/2023 0 Comments 15 year old piano prodigyThe world hungers for stories like this, of course: From physicist Enrico Fermi to actor Haley Joel Osment, child prodigies are positively fascinating. In three years, she’ll have a high school diploma in hand with college credits to boot. With an IQ of 145 and five languages under her belt - German (her mother swears she uttered her first word at 8 weeks old and could read by 2), English (which she started speaking at 3), French, Old Chinese and Spanish. She’s 11 - life seems simple enough.Įxcept that her classes are in ninth grade and at the University of Münster, her recitals are with world-famous concert pianist Lang Lang and her innocent days belie her status as child genius. A day at her family’s home in Velbert, Germany, finds her playing tag in the lounge, being chased by her water-pistol-wielding brother, Philip. When she heard the teen perform, she was “incredibly moved…by the musical emotion coming out of such a young boy.Life for Laetitia Hahn is busy: classes, piano recitals, skateboarding, skiing, time with her brother. “You can’t complain about the music when somebody is playing because some other night you’re the one playing,” says Antal who is preparing for his next concert and considering which competitions to enter.Īntal even has an agent now in Glenda Rush of Vivo Musique. The mood of co-operation pervades the home of this musical family. We try to play pieces together to help each other out.” They’ll have it their whole life and it will be a beautiful thing for them to share with their own families when they grow up.”Īntal talks about building a professional career and how “maybe someday my little brother, my little sister and I will become a trio. I’m grateful they like music in whatever capacity they want to participate. “As long as my children are enthusiastic about it, I’m happy to provide the lessons. If you want to accomplish something you have to put in the time and practice,” says Mordechai. “Playing music comes with a certain responsibility. Antal is home-schooled in other subjects by his father Mordechai, who is a teacher and president of the Federation of Teachers of Jewish Schools. The young pianist attends Mesifta yeshiva for part of the day. I ended up playing very difficult and amazing pieces. I had to catch up and kept on jumping levels. “Russian teachers build very strong foundations for musicians if you’re willing to work hard,” says Antal. Three years ago, Krassov took Antal to Paris to play for his friend, concert pianist Valery Sigalevitch and take a weeklong intensive workshop with him. Soon siblings were doubled up to free a bedroom for not just one piano but eventually two so that Antal could practise with the other instrument playing the orchestra’s part. Moscow Conservatory educator Vladimir Krassov, who now lives in Montreal, took him under his wing. Lessons at the local Chabad House followed. By the age of 10 he had learned his scales and was picking out his favourite songs on the keyboard. Born in 2000, he was ever curious about the tunes his older brother and sister elicited from an old upright piano handed down from their paternal great-grandmother. The pianist is a millennium baby, the middle child of a large Lubavitcher family. When maestro Zubin Mehta came to town as a guest conductor, Antal played for him and earned encouragement that has him hoping for a chance to travel to Israel and play a concerto with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Of course, Antal has wowed the music mavens of Montreal at venues like the prestigious La chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur where this past November he lured magical sounds from their Fazioli grand concert piano, playing works by J.S. It’s an exercise in strengthening his focus when an elderly lady walks by in the middle of a piece, pats him on the shoulder and says, beaming, “Very nice.” He’s also played fundraisers for Beth Zion Congregation and for Yaldei helping children with developmental challenges. Every month he visits seniors’ residences like Westmount One, Castel Royale and Place Kensington to work out pieces in front of an audience and give joy to those who can’t come to the concert hall. The additional one hour on violin is to hone his dexterity and pitch. MONTREAL – Pinchas Antal is in most ways just like other 15-year-old boys except when he sits down at a baby grand and racks up six hours a day practising piano. Pinchas Antal practises in the piano room of his home HEATHER SOLOMON PHOTO
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