What it's like to be a child prodigy and debunking the myths of exceptionalism

The story of Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer, as narrated in Janine Hosking's documentary The Eulogy, follows a familiar, tragic arc.

In the 60s and 70s, Tozer seemed set to be one of Australia's biggest international success stories.

By age 16, Tozer had performed on some of the world's most famous stages and met the who's who of classical music.

But away from the piano, Tozer seemed to lack any other skills. In later life, he dealt with alcohol addiction, dying in penury in 2009.

Classical music's history is peppered with stories of exceptionally talented child musicians including household names like Mozart and Mendelssohn.

Even today, young performers like violinists Christian Li and Chloe Chua have attracted enormous attention for their early success.

Tozer described his experience of being a child prodigy like "an old man with no future. I wouldn't wish it on anybody."

But unlike Tozer, many prodigies have gone on to have happier lives and successful music careers as they've grown up.

Australian pianists Andrea Lam and Grace Kim were both labelled as prodigies when they were younger. Lam made her debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra aged 13. Kim was winning international music competitions before she finished high school.

They speak about their experiences navigating the label of "child prodigy" and how to support the next generation in their musical journeys.

Performing in front of thousands

Lam remembers how surreal her orchestral debut felt, describing it as "an incredible sensory experience".

"[I was] on stage making music with professional musicians who were treating me with respect and being on the same playing field as them."

Lam remembers her teenage years as "the good days". She had opportunities to hone her craft, but along with her recognition as a young musician, "I had enough time to be a kid," Lam reflects.

Gifted versus hard work

In her youth, Kim preferred watching TV and reading books over spending time practising.

She loves playing the piano, learning new music and performing, but "the practice part was the most boring thing in the whole world," Kim admits.

Despite this tendency, Kim did well in elite competitions thanks to her ability to "wing it."

"Gifted kids [like myself] tend to find ways to do what they like doing and try to avoid what they don't like doing," Kim says.

But as an adult, Kim doesn't see "giftedness" as a celebration of exceptionalism. She says it should be regarded as part of our neurodiversity.

"As someone with children now, I realise the importance of structure," she says. "As a grown adult, I started practising more regularly."

As a piano teacher and researcher, Kim also supports the next generation of talented pianists, some of whom have gone on to win international music competitions.

She says maintaining boundaries between parents, teachers and students is important in supporting young musicians in their journeys.

"The parent's job is to offer love and support," she says. "My role as a teacher is to give the students challenges that are proportional to their ability."

It's up to the students to develop their skills as musicians.

Debunking the myths of young performers

Audiences are always fascinated by displays of young musical talents, and we have an abundance of them.

Violinist Christian Li was just 10 years old when he won the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition in 2018.

Taking joint first prize with Li was 11-year-old Singapore-based violinist Chloe Chua.

Now in their teens, both violinists regularly perform with major symphony orchestras, a feat which takes most musicians years to achieve.

Chua, 18, recently made her Australian debut alongside the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in a performance at the Sydney Opera House in February.

"I find the process of learning music of different genres and by different composers very fun," Chua says. "And I feel very emotionally satisfied after I have mastered a violin piece."

Chua, who is still finishing high school, is famed for her sensitive musical interpretations.

"I love to captivate and move my audiences with expressive performances and bring joy to them," Chua says.

Lam and Kim highlight that we should move away from the idea that young performers should wholly focus on only developing their musical talents. 

"You have all of your life to be an adult, but you have a very specific window of time to enjoy being a kid," Lam says.

Some of the harmful ideas around prodigies concern how much they should practise and external pressure for excellence.

The expectation for constant excellence can be hard for young musicians, Lam says.

While Lam stresses playing an instrument at an elite level does take dedication and hours of practice, Kim says the myth that musicians should practise between eight to 10 hours a day is not healthy.

"Parents do need to create opportunities for these kids to de-stress, be healthy, exercise and focus on other things in life."

The opportunity to be just kids is one of the secrets to the longevity of their success, Lam and Kim say.

Chua's family and friends ensure she has time to just be a teenager.

"I normally take breaks between classes or my practice sessions to go out for meals with friends," Chua says. "Sometimes, I also attend parties organised by the school or concerts to socialise with friends."

Lam recalls how much she liked reading and going out with her friends, some of whom are still close to her. Chua also shares similar hobbies during her free time.

Kim points out that for young musicians and their parents, "music is a long game".

"We can't stop people from labelling, but we can help ground the child by not buying into the wave," Kim says.

"Children need to develop the skills to be able to achieve goals in their own way," Kim says. "They also need time to figure that out."

Get a front row experience with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra concert featuring violinist Chloe Chua. Stream Front Row with Megan Burslem on ABC iview.

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