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5-year-old Italian piano prodigy rocks Mozart at international competition and holy cow

Alberto has already won multiple international competitions.

Pianoforte/Facebook

Alberto Cartuccia Cingolani wows audiences with his amazing musical talents.

Mozart was known for his musical talent at a young age, playing the harpsichord at age 4 and writing original compositions at age 5. So perhaps it's fitting that a video of 5-year-old piano prodigy Alberto Cartuccia Cingolani playing Mozart has gone viral as people marvel at his musical abilities.

Alberto's legs couldn't even reach the pedals, but that didn't stop his little hands from flying expertly over the keys as incredible music pours out of the piano at the 10th International Musical Competition "Città di Penne" in Italy in 2022. Even if you've seen young musicians play impressively, it's hard not to have your jaw drop at this one. Sometimes a kid comes along who just clearly has a gift.

Of course, that gift has been helped along by two professional musician parents. But no amount of teaching can create an ability like this.

Alberto first started playing in 2020 in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy was one of the first countries to experience a serious lockdown, and Alberto's mother used the opportunity to start teaching her son to play piano. Alessia Cingolani and her husband Simone Cartuccia are both music conservatory graduates, and mom Alessia told Italian entertainment website Contrataque that she and her husband recognized Alberto's talent immediately.

She said that although Alberto spends a lot of time at the piano, he also has plenty of time for school and play and television, like a normal kid.

There's genuinely nothing "normal" about this kid's piano playing, though. Watch:

Wow, right? There are countless adults who took years of piano lessons and never got to that level of playing. It's like he's channeling Amadeus himself.

According to Corriere Adriatico, by the time he was 4 1/2 years old, Alberto had participated in seven national and international online competitions and won first place in all of them. His mother told the outlet that he started out practicing for about 10 minutes a day and gradually increased to three hours.

"He has a remarkable flair for the piano," she said. Um, yeah. Clearly.

Some commenters expressed some concern for the boy based on his seriousness and what looks like dark circles under his eyes in the video, but if you check out other videos of Alberto playing at home, he is more relaxed. Most of his playing and competition entries have been done online, so performing for a crowd is probably new for him. And in interviews, his mother has made it clear that they prioritize normal childhood activities.

Some children are just genuine prodigies, and Alberto certainly seems to fit that bill. Can't wait to see what kind of musical future awaits this kid.


This article originally appeared on 5.4.22

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Barefoot pianist creatively uses every part of the piano in epic version of Toto's 'Africa'

Peter Bence/YouTube

Peter Bence's performance of "Africa" is both entertaining and impressive.

Toto's "Africa" is one of the most beloved pop songs of all time. In fact, it's been touted by at least one neural scientist and by countless music fans as the No. 1 song ever written.

For a song released in the early 1980s, it has stood the test of time consistently, never feeling dated or constrained by its decade. "Africa" is practically in a genre of its own, which is probably why it's been covered so many times in so many styles by so many artists.

One rendition that's getting viral attention—not for the first time—may be unlike any you've ever seen.

Peter Bence is a Hungarian pianist and composer who performs "Africa" as a solo piece on the piano—only it's not a piano solo piece in the traditional sense, as he uses the piano in totally different ways than what we're used to seeing.

Bence first shared a video of his live "Africa" performance on YouTube in 2018 and it's been viewed 15 million times since then. A share of the video on his Facebook page from May 15 already has 5.3 million views and more than 9,000 comments.

The video begins with a barefoot Bence creating a sound with the strings of the piano, which becomes looped. Then he adds percussion with his hands on the surface of the piano, which also get looped. Then he finally sits down to play the piano, and from there we're taken on a blessed, rainy ride above the Serengeti.

The energy Bence brings to the performance is as entertaining as his musicality, as one wonders what creative way he's going to use the piano next. From plucking piano strings to opening and closing the lid to the keyboard, Bence makes and loops sounds to help build out the track. While we wouldn't expect a solo piano version of "Africa" to sound just like the original, part of what makes the song great is how rich and full it feels, and Bence manages to keep some of that with his piano plucking, scratching and pounding.

Watch:

A sampling of comments reflect the general sentiment in how the video has been received:

"I’m so glad to watch and see a fellow musician, that enjoys the music deep down. Excellent playing man!"

"So fluid. The piano is an extension of your whole body. Amazing."

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone has so much fun playing the piano. You're not just terrifically talented, I love the creativity."

"Brilliant! Loved it. It made me think what would J S Bach have done with looping on a piano/harpsichord?"

"Mesmerizing! He became the music and the music became him."

In short, it's gonna take a lot to drag us away from this video.

Peter Bence is touring in 2022. Check out his website for more info.

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They say it takes practice to play Carnegie Hall. This 13-year-old has done it 3 times.

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Some people spend their entire lives dreaming of the chance to perform at the famous Carnegie Hall.

The lights. The sights. The history. The audience roaring with applause. If you get the chance to play there, you know you're doing it right.

Pianist Sriram Narayanan might as well receive a frequent performer card for his time spent on stage there.

All images via Sunanda Narayanan, used with permission.

Sriram has dazzled audiences at Carnegie Hall not once, not twice, but THREE times.  Did I mention he's only 13 years old?

That's quite an accomplishment for anyone, let alone someone who's barely considered a teenager. But Sriram thrives under the pressure. For a child with other challenges, music has been an incredible outlet for him.

"He doesn't get nervous," said his piano teacher, Tatyana Dudochkin of the New England Conservatory. "He enjoys performing so much for an audience and sharing his joy. He absolutely loves when people clap and cheer for him."

And cheer for him they do.

He's always practicing!

Sriram's success is a testament to the power of patience and encouragement — especially with kids.

Learning is not a one-size-fits-all type of deal for many children, including Sriram. As a toddler, Sriram was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder (APD) — a condition an estimated 5-7% of children live with today. APD can make it difficult to recognize sounds in words, understand the messages of others, remember information presented verbally, and localize sounds, among other things.

That means for people living with APD, it can take a little bit more time to figure out directions, complete a homework assignment, or memorize a new song on the piano. But just as we all learn differently, those with APD do too, and patience and understanding from others helps to play a big role in their development.

It's what helped Sriram find his own path.

"I just started to work with him and it was difficult," said his teacher Tatyana, "but he loved learning the music I played for him and he was very passionate about it. When I pushed him to do even more, he did it, and it helped to build a lot of confidence."

Sriram and his teacher, Tatyana Dudochkin.

Sriram found an area where he shines — and that has helped him in every aspect of his life.

When Sriram was encouraged to start doing competitions, it took him to a whole new level. In addition to the competitions that have landed him at Carnegie Hall, he has won many others, including receiving honorable mention as the youngest contestant of the 2016 "Newton Has Talent."

Between his family, his music mentors, his school Learning Prep, and others, he knows he has a community of support behind him in his journey.

It's important for children to be able to explore various hobbies and interests while they're young. Every kid is different — living with APD or not — and you never know what will stick.

When Sriram was 4, his mom, Sunanda gave him a keyboard that was destined for the trash. She thought it would keep him occupied for a while. What she didn't realize was the path it would lead him on.

"All of a sudden he was teaching himself songs from 'The Sound of Music' by ear," she said.

Fast forward nine years later, he's showing us all what he can do from the big bright stage.

As Sunanda says, "It is amazing to see him be social and to show off his talent. Music is going to be a very integrated part of his life."

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