10 Exceptional Young Talents

The phrase 'child prodigy' is frequently used, particularly in the age of YouTube, where it seems like every other day a new musical genius or trivia whiz emerges out of nowhere and soon finds themselves on shows like 'Ellen.'

However, the true meaning of a prodigy refers to a child who exhibits professional-level skills before reaching the age of 10. Though the reasons are not entirely understood, prodigies are often found in fields governed by rules, such as mathematics, music, chess, and art. One researcher who studied prodigies estimated their rarity at about one in five to ten million. She also observed that prodigies tend to have exceptional memory, sharp attention to detail, and a higher level of altruism compared to others [source: Gammon].

Child prodigies typically possess average to above-average IQs (ranging from 100 to 147), combining natural talent with an unyielding determination to succeed in their chosen domain [source: Urist]. It's not unusual for a young art or music prodigy, as early as 3 or 4 years old, to dedicate nearly all their waking hours to painting or playing the piano. They do it because of their passion.

As you'll discover in our list, many of the most renowned child prodigies throughout history had 'stage parents' who not only supported but actively promoted their child's extraordinary abilities, while others were entirely self-taught, leaving their parents astonished by their intense focus. Sadly, some prodigies couldn't handle the pressure of high expectations and either faded away or completely collapsed. Let's begin with perhaps the most iconic child prodigy of all.

10: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Arguably the most famous child prodigy of all, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was captivating royal audiences across Europe by the age of 6, a remarkable blend of exceptional musical talent and a devoted father who knew how to generate attention.

Born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756, Mozart was the seventh child of Leopold Mozart, a court composer in the province. When Leopold recognized his son's extraordinary talent—Mozart could play the piano at age 3 and taught himself the violin by 4—Leopold put his own career on hold to foster and promote his son's genius (as well as that of his musical sister, Maria Anna) [source: Mozart.com].

Young Wolfgang's breakthrough came in 1762 when he performed for the emperor and empress of Vienna. At just 6 years old, he stunned the audience with his remarkable piano skills and original compositions. He composed his first piano concerto at age 4 and created several keyboard dances by the age of 6.

Success in Vienna led to more performances across Europe, and the Mozart family embarked on a tour, during which young Wolfgang expanded his musical repertoire. In England, the renowned British naturalist Daines Barrington challenged the 8-year-old Mozart by having him sight-read a newly composed orchestral manuscript.

To his amazement, Barrington reported,

While in England, Mozart studied under Johann Christian Bach, the son of the legendary German composer and Baroque musician Johann Sebastian Bach. At just 9 years old, he composed his first symphony, along with at least 40 other pieces [source: Mozart.com]. During his travels in Italy, he composed his first operas at the age of 14. As an adult, he went on to create iconic works like 'The Marriage of Figaro' and 'The Magic Flute.'

Mozart's life was a blend of tragedy and triumph, marked by his passionate, perfectionist nature. His genius was not fully recognized during his lifetime, and he passed away unexpectedly in 1791 at the young age of 35. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time, if not 'the' greatest.

9: Alma Deutscher

Dubbed "Little Mozart," Alma Deutscher is a talented pianist, violinist, and classical composer who, much like Mozart, began composing and performing her own remarkable works while still too young to attend kindergarten.

Born in England in 2005, Deutscher began playing the piano at age 2 and the violin at age 3. Almost immediately, she began composing original pieces, including an opera about a pirate named Don Alonzo. By the age of 6, she had recorded her first piano sonata; by 7, she completed her first opera; and by 9, she had composed her first violin concerto and performed it with virtuosity in front of international audiences. At just 12, she wrote her first piano concerto [source: Alma Deutscher].

Now 13, Deutscher humbly dismisses comparisons to Mozart, yet her exceptional talent has earned her the admiration of many. One of her mentors, Robert Gjerdingen, a music professor at Northwestern University, shared with '60 Minutes' that Deutscher's musical potential is limitless.

"[Music] is her first language," Gjerdingen told '60 Minutes.' "She speaks the style of Mozart, she speaks the style of Mendelssohn, as if she were a native speaker. She's playing in the big leagues, and if you win the pennant, there's immortality."

8: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th-century Mexican nun, renowned poet, essayist, and pioneering feminist. As a teenager, she rose to fame as a self-taught prodigy after impressing a panel of 40 of Mexico City's most respected scholars with her remarkable knowledge in mathematics, philosophy, theology, and literature.

Born as Juana Ramirez de Asbaje around 1651, de la Cruz was the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish captain and a Creole woman. Raised at her maternal grandfather's hacienda, she learned to read by age 3 and quickly became absorbed in his vast collection of books. By age 8, she was already writing poems in Spanish, Latin, and Nahuatl, the Aztec language [source: Engel].

The young girl was sent to live with her aunt in Mexico City, where she pleaded to disguise herself as a boy in order to attend school. Instead, she received private tutoring from a learned priest. She eventually caught the attention of the viceroy of New Spain and his wife, who arranged a public demonstration of her vast knowledge before the royal court. At just 17, she astonished the court’s greatest minds, and her remarkable achievement was widely reported across Mexico.

With no interest in marriage, de la Cruz joined a convent, seeking the freedom to devote herself entirely to study and writing. Her poems and plays, including clever secular comedies, remain enduring masterpieces of baroque Spanish literature. When the church scolded her for writing an essay that challenged a prominent bishop’s sermon, she penned her famous "Respuesta" (or "Reply"), widely regarded as one of the first feminist manifestos.

In her "Respuesta," she fiercely defended women's right to study and speak freely, famously declaring, "One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper" [source: Merrim].

7: Bobby Fischer

When Bobby Fischer was just 6 years old, his older sister Joan bought him his first chess set and taught him how each piece moved across the board. By 12, Fischer was practically a fixture at New York City's leading chess clubs, holding his own against the best players in America.

At 14, Fischer defeated 200 of the country’s top-ranked players to win the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1957 [source: Taper]. A year later, at 15, he became the youngest player ever to earn the title of grandmaster, a remarkable achievement accomplished by besting top chess professionals in international tournaments [source: Friedel].

However, it was Fischer's famous victory over Soviet chess master Boris Spassky in 1972 that solidified his place as America's first — and perhaps only — true chess superstar, claiming the title of world chess champion. No American has held the title since.

Unfortunately, Fischer's extraordinary chess genius came at a personal cost. With an IQ reported to be 181, Fischer found school unchallenging and dropped out of high school at 16. As a teenager, he became consumed by chess, spending every waking moment studying old games at New York's Marshall Chess Club and refining his strategies [source: Weber].

When Bobby Fischer met Boris Spassky in 1972, the 30-year-old had developed a deep paranoia, alleging that his rivals were attempting to poison him. In his early 20s, Fischer joined the fringe Worldwide Church of God and became intrigued by conspiracy theories, including those involving a global Jewish cabal. As he got older, he would often disappear for years, only to reappear sporadically at international chess tournaments.

Fischer passed away in exile in Iceland at the age of 64, having lived as a fugitive from U.S. authorities for playing an unsanctioned chess tournament in Yugoslavia against Boris Spassky in 1992, for a $5 million prize (which Fischer won). His legacy as America’s greatest chess champion remains, but he also serves as a tragic reminder of the sacrifices genius often demands.

6: Shakuntala Devi

Shakuntala Devi, often referred to as the 'human computer,' amazed the world with her extraordinary mental calculation abilities, outpacing even the fastest computers of her time. Her remarkable talents were evident from a young age in India.

Born in Bangalore in 1929, Devi was the daughter of a trapeze artist, lion tamer, and magician. At just three years old, she displayed an exceptional memory for numbers, even memorizing entire decks of cards. Her father, a clever showman, recognized her talent and began nurturing her in mathematics, preparing her for the stage [source: Pandya].

Devi's love for numbers was as natural as a child's passion for toys or crayons. By age six, she was performing regularly in her father's magic shows, impressing audiences with her card tricks and calculations. As her fame grew, her father shifted to managing her career, leading her to travel across India and internationally.

Devi's specialty lay in solving cube roots, even for massive numbers in the trillions, in mere seconds. Another impressive trick she mastered was determining the day of the week for any given historical date. One of her most famous feats occurred in 1977 when she computed the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in just 50 seconds, surpassing a Univac computer by 12 seconds [source: Jensen].

In 1980, Devi earned a place in the Guinness World Records for the fastest multiplication of two 13-digit numbers. She completed the task in 28 seconds, including the time to write out the 26-digit result. Despite her 'human computer' title, Devi was known for her warmth and outgoing personality. She passed away in 2013 at the age of 83 [source: Pandya].

5: Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Judkins, born prematurely in 1950, tragically lost his sight as a baby due to excessive oxygen treatment in his hospital incubator, which caused his retinas to detach. However, like his musical hero Ray Charles, Wonder would triumph over his disability, rising to fame as an iconic and genre-defying artist.

At the age of 4, Wonder's family relocated from Saginaw, Michigan to Detroit, where his passion for music blossomed. He sang in the church choir and experimented with rhythms using his mom's kitchenware. A kind neighbor allowed him to explore the piano, and Wonder's curiosity led him to knock on their door daily, eager to play. [source: Biography]

At the age of 9 or 10, the self-taught Stevie Wonder began performing for the local kids in his neighborhood. One of his classmates happened to be the son of Ronnie White, a member of The Miracles, a prominent Motown group. After hearing Wonder's remarkable talent, White took him to Motown Records to meet with founder Berry Gordy and audition.

Impressed by Wonder's raw talent and unrestrained energy as he switched between instruments, Berry Gordy immediately signed him to a contract and gave him the stage name Little Stevie Wonder. At only 11, Wonder dropped his debut album with Motown, and by 12, he had released 'Fingertips (Part 2),' which became his first No. 1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts, making him the youngest solo artist to top the pop charts.

Stevie Wonder's career is one of the most celebrated in pop music history, with over 30 top 10 hits and 25 Grammy Awards to his name [source: Grammy]. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 at the young age of 38 [source: Britannica].

4: John Stuart Mill

Born in London in 1806, John Stuart Mill underwent a rigorous educational experiment in his early years, an experience that could have overwhelmed weaker minds, but instead, it laid the groundwork for him to become one of the most influential economic, philosophical, and political thinkers of the Victorian era.

Mill's father, James Mill, a Scottish writer and devoted follower of utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham, implemented an intense educational regimen for his son. With Bentham's guidance, James Mill aimed to shape his son's intellectual development, exposing him to subjects like Latin, Greek, physics, economics, and ancient history. There were no breaks for holidays, as the father feared that rest would lead to laziness of mind [source: Mastin].

John flourished under this system, mastering Plato's works in their original Greek and even composing a history of Rome at just 6 years old [source: Gopnik]. By the time he turned 12, he had a deep enough understanding of the classics, math, and science that he could have easily passed Oxford's entrance exams. By the age of 18, he was arguably the leading economist of his time, having read virtually everything available on the subject [source: Garcia].

At 20, John suffered a nervous breakdown, but he managed to recover by replacing Bentham's rigid, mechanical approach to education with a new passion for poetry, literature, and music [source: Garcia]. John went on to become a prolific writer, producing monumental works such as 'Principles of Political Economy' and 'On Liberty,' as well as hundreds of magazine articles. He is remembered for his strong advocacy for equal rights for both genders and all races, alongside his fierce defense of individual liberty.

3: Aelita Andre

Aelita Andre, an Australian artist, was only 9 years old in 2018 when she became known as a controversial child prodigy. Her parents claim that she started painting at just 9 months old, and her early works consisted of vibrant acrylic smears on red and black canvases, with titles like 'The Cloud Man' and 'Lizard at Sunset.' By the time she was 22 months old, one of her paintings was displayed in a London gallery.

Andre's artistic style is often described as 'magical abstraction,' drawing comparisons to the drip and splatter techniques of masters like Jackson Pollock. Along with her debut London exhibition, Andre has held solo shows in various cities including her hometown in Australia, New York City, Italy, Paris, Hong Kong, and Russia, where some of her paintings have fetched prices upwards of $24,000 [source: Horowitz]. (Did we mention she's only 9?)

From the moment Aelita Andre gained attention as a child prodigy, some critics have emerged. Accusations have been leveled against her parents — both professional artists — for allegedly influencing, if not outright creating, her artwork. Additionally, her abstract paintings, often seen as mere splashes of color, have invited the familiar 'my kid could do that' criticisms.

However, when you watch videos of Aelita Andre at work, it's evident that she is the young creative force behind her masterpieces. Playful yet serious, she uses squeeze bottles of paint to cover large canvases laid out on the floor. Over time, her art has evolved from spontaneous finger paintings to meticulously crafted multimedia installations.

Much like other child prodigies, including Picasso, the true measure of Aelita Andre's genius will likely be determined by her future success as an adult artist.

2: John von Neumann

While not all child prodigies go on to achieve greatness as adults, John von Neumann is a prime example of a mathematical genius who made significant contributions to both the development of computers and atomic weaponry.

Born in Hungary in 1903, von Neumann demonstrated extraordinary memory and an insatiable thirst for knowledge from a very young age. It's said that by 6, he would amaze his parents' guests by memorizing entire phone book pages and performing mental division of eight-digit numbers. He even entertained them by telling jokes in classical Greek [source: Britannica].

To escape the rising tide of antisemitism in 1930s Europe, von Neumann accepted a position at Princeton University's Institute for Advanced Study, where none other than Albert Einstein was also a professor. In 1943, he was recruited to join the Manhattan Project, where he helped design key components for the first atomic bombs and played a role in selecting Hiroshima and Nagasaki as the initial targets [source: Atomic Heritage Foundation].

But von Neumann's achievements didn't stop there. In 1945, he made a groundbreaking contribution to early computing by formulating the 'stored program technique,' which solved the issue of needing to build new hardware for each different application [source: Center for Computing History]. He was also key in the creation of the first electronic general-purpose computer, ENIAC, in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania.

Finally, von Neumann is regarded as the pioneer of game theory, a mathematical discipline that revolutionized economics and extended its influence into fields like evolutionary biology. This guy really made an impact, didn't he?

1: Joey Alexander

Joey Alexander is an unlikely jazz piano sensation. First, he hails from Indonesia, which isn't exactly known for its jazz scene. Second, he's self-taught, learning from resources like YouTube. And third, he won't even turn 15 until June 2018.

Joey Alexander, born Josiah Alexander Sila, grew up in Bali, where his only introduction to jazz came from a few CDs his father brought back from his college days in the United States. At the age of six, Joey got his first keyboard and began playing Thelonious Monk tunes by ear. His father taught him the basics, but Joey's true love and commitment to jazz piano came from within.

When Alexander turned eight, his family moved to Jakarta, where by then, he had already made a name for himself in the Indonesian jazz scene, even performing for the legendary Herbie Hancock. At nine, he participated in the Master-Jam Fest, an international jazz competition for all ages in Ukraine, where he claimed the grand prize [source: Chinen].

Joey's breakthrough moment came when celebrated jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, who also serves as the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, discovered Joey's YouTube videos. Marsalis invited the 8-year-old prodigy to perform at the 2014 Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala. When Joey sat down at the piano, his feet dangling off the edge of the stage, no one could have predicted the emotional, skillful solo he was about to deliver: a moving rendition of Monk's 'Around Midnight,' which earned him a standing ovation.

Now living in New York, Joey released his debut album, 'My Favorite Things,' in 2015 at the age of 12.