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This is quite interesting. I was playing the piano the other day while my little niece was toddling around. She just turned 1 last month.

Anyway as I was playing she crawled over to the doorway and stood there and watched me with great interest. When I finished, I picked her up and sat the piano with her.[1] She didn't bang on the piano, but took her left index finger and played only one note at a time. I then showed her a scale, and she tried to move her fingers the same way! She kept curling her fingers and everything. I tried playing along with her, and she kept pushing my hand away! While she played, she kept looking back at me for approval like she was trying to learn to play the piano.

After she played at the piano, I brought her over to the clavichord, which is a lot softer. She looked up at me and smiled then took her left hand again, and pressed only an F-sharp very gently and looked inside at the action. She then played a few other notes the same way.

Just for kicks, when my mom came in, she had me play the piano again for Alyson. I played some of Mozart's K.333 sonata, and she let out with the biggest grin I've seen.

So what do you think? She's already starting to talk too at this age.

John

[1] She's the only child I've ever let play the piano. All other visiting suction cups with sticky goo aren't allowed in the room.

She's a smart one. Whatever you do, do not abuse this.

I think it is absolutely wonderful. She responds to music, and is curious. She sounds like an adorable young child. Let us hope that she continues her interest in sounds---particularly the sounds of music. She may well become a pianist in later life. Gaby tu

Absolutely! Right now I'm just letting her absorb the sounds of the instruments and enjoy them. I also showed her my Italian virginal, but she didn't like it, and went back over to the clavichord again. She really is smart.

Gaby, I was thinking the same thing. Let's hope she continues with this and later on and is interested in music.

John

I also have a neice who did something very simular to what you described. She is a little older and now most of the time just wants to bang on the piano a bit.

I'd say the talent scouts from Julliard are lurking around your door with scholarships in hand.

Tomasino

I'm going to sound a note of caution and say that you should make sure you don't view this and similar incidents with rose-coloured glasses. It's all too easy to be enchanted/amazed/whatever at the darndest things young children do, and think they'll be the greatest [whatever] when they're older. But kids are naturally curious and pick things up like a sponge when they are young, and are also easily amused/impressed. My niece displayed a similar amusement at my piano playing when she was younger but nothing particular came of it.
See how this develops, but don't push.

that's adorable, a little child who can love music like this at that age is a treasure, let her carry on absorbing more of it and you won't know what could happen.

I have met/known a few little kids like that, some of them, their interest was crushed by the parents' pressure, some of them really love it.

My mom exposed music in the same way to me and up to now I still love it.

I haven't pushed her at all at this, but yesterday she crawled over to the music room door, and reached for the knob. She looked at me to let her in the room, but I couldn't because I was going out. She knows what's in the room there, and wanted to go in again and play.

When she's alone, she sings little songs based on the few words that she speaking like dada, mumma, hi, kitty, etc.

I spoke with my piano teacher friend about this, and she said she was like this when she was young.

Interesting... I'll keep everyone posted on the outcome as this progresses.

John

John Citron, what a sweet little girl, just try to keep your little special musical friendship !

My daughter was also very interested in the piano at that age and used to sit on my lap plying one key at a time with her fingers. She also loved when I guided her 2nd finger to play a simple childrens song together with singing.

My daughter is 14 now, and she was never a prodigy, she refused to have piano lessons till she was 9, but she has always kept this self-drive in music.
I never need to tell her to practice and she's now playing keyboard in a band and learning to play the church organ.

Ragnhild