My 7 year old daughter and I were browsing in a thrift shop earlier this evening. My daughter spied an old but finely tuned upright piano in the back of the store and immediately sat down to play with the keys. For a moment I thought to tell her not to mess with it because it was expensive and I thought the clerk may say something to her....but then I heard her play. I was dumbstruck! She was playing a hauntingly beautiful classical melody as if she had played piano all her life! Some of the other browsers even stopped to listen to her play and one woman even told her how beautifully she played. She has never taken a single lesson...neither at home or at school...and I can't recall ever having exposed her to classical music or the piano. I knew she had musical talent (I have zero) because the girl can sing like a pro and she composes her own song lyrics. She has notebooks full of songs that she writes in her own spare time. They're not cutesy kid songs either...most of them are full of insightful and sometimes profoundly beautiful lyrics. The first one she wrote when she was six and I was stunned to hear her sing it. It was about her having to find 'answers' in a world of darkness and would there be anyone there to help her find her way. But I just don't know what to think about her playing the piano today. It was like she was composing the song as she played it and her fingers never missed a beat.

Should I send her to school to develop her talents? They're quite expensive but would I be doing her a disservice if I didn't?

I think you would be silly not to look into further TuTu,and just see how it goes, are there any music teachers near you where prehaps she could go and let them have a look..?

i have to agree with Fen, TuTu a music teacher would be my first try before you spend money they may offer to help for free or at least point you in the right direction good luck and let us know how things progress i'd be really intrested

Sounds like she would love to have that piano.

Yeah, you should do all you can to encourage her and help her in that interest, including schooling if you can.
If she is that talented there may be a grants offered for children of her age. It would pay to check it out.
There is a nation wide directory of all foundations that offer grants. It gives the amounts and guidelines and how to apply.
You may be able to find it on the net. I believe it is called 'Foundations: Grants to individuals'.

[quote name='SOUL-DRIFTER' date='Apr 4 2008, 03:08 PM' post='353130']
Sounds like she would love to have that piano.

Yeah, you should do all you can to encourage her and help her in that interest, including schooling if you can.
If she is that talented there may be a grants offered for children of her age. It would pay to check it out.
There is a nation wide directory of all foundations that offer grants. It gives the amounts and guidelines and how to apply.
You may be able to find it on the net. I believe it is called 'Foundations: Grants to individuals'.
[/quoteyou'd be silly not to.i wish her every success,and look forward to seeing her videos on you tube in a few years maybe!

Thanks for the info. I haven't a clue as to how to nurture a musical talent. I couldn't hold a tune or play an instrument even if I practiced for hours a day. lol

Very pleased to hear this...I told you a long time ago about a sense I had....remember?

I recall something to that effect, yes lol

Tutu posts: Thanks for the info. I haven't a clue as to how to nurture a musical talent. I couldn't hold a tune or play an instrument even if I practiced for hours a day. Lol
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Tutu… May I suggest you take your daughter to the Music Dept. of your local University and let them know about your child’s gift? (Take her with you of course!…lol)

They may be able to give you and yours a good take on her abilities and if nothing else… If your daughter enjoys playing the piano, you can pick one up relatively cheap.
Musically inclined people usually tend to benefit most everyone… Which is something to be nurtured imho. ~rore

This post has been edited by rorechof: Apr 6 2008, 09:16 AM

I can't afford a piano at the moment. However, we have a school here for the musically gifted. I intend to gather up her song notebooks and record her singing some of her songs and take them to the instructors to see what they think.

When I was a child, I auditioned to and was accepted into a state sponsored school of the arts in Florida. Had I remained in it, I would have graduated high school with a BA in the visual arts. I was also told by my professors that I had a literary genius that should be nurtured to fruition. However, my parents moved me back to Kentucky and I lost out on all of that. I regret that I was never given the guidance or teaching to mature in my 'gifts'. I don't want to do the same thing to my daughter.

This post has been edited by iwant2believe2: Apr 6 2008, 10:48 AM