![]() “I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ It made me really happy like doing it. ![]() The video received more than 1.3 million views and received thousands of compliments online. However, his biggest moment so far came when his dad submitted this video of Ben performing Billy’s Joel’s "Piano Man" to “The Pianist” Facebook page. He’s played at numerous sites in his community and he even received a letter from Senator Schumer who commended him for his talent. He loves both of his teachers," said Ben's mother Christina Kidwell.īen has learned quite a few songs in a short time.Ī few years ago, he scored high on the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Test. He gets up, he practices every single morning, at least an hour before school. He takes lessons with instructors a few times a week, but practices every morning with his mother. The soon-to-be fourth grader has been playing the piano for about three years. “I’ve always liked the sound of it, and I like to put smiles on other people’s faces,” said Kidwell. He likes his brothers, baseball and jumping on his trampoline, but he also loves playing. Kidwell has the same interests as most other boys his age. A video of Ben Kidwell, 8, from Utica was recently posted on “The Pianist” Magazine Facebook page as he performed Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” “If I say something to her once, I don’t have to say it twice,” said Shin.A young boy from Utica is getting attention from around the world on social media for his piano skills. Shin, who described her teaching style as “aggressive,” said her student’s success stems from attentiveness more than fortune. Mild-mannered and modest about her natural talent, Pan said piano is a huge challenge. It’s difficult to imagine it being any other way. “Siblings always compare,” she said, explaining that Lillian seems slightly jealous of her older sister’s emergence. ![]() Along with piano, she’s picked up cello, violin and flute.Īnd according to Mom, there may be another superstar in the household: 8-year-old Lillian. Peng traces her eldest daughter’s musical proclivity to preschool, when Pan danced for her class – including her wide-eyed teacher. “I think she’s way more talented than I was at her age.” “She has a special tonal quality… her own musical style,” said Shin. Her current options, it seems, are boundless. As one of six semifinalists, she’ll compete in the Italian concerto category. Pan will travel to New York City in June for another international competition. There used to be time for Chinese classes too, said mother Hua Peng, but that extracurricular activity has fallen by the wayside. Now back at home, Pan the fifth-grader is back to her “normal” routine: two focused hours on the piano bench every day, daily GATE classes at Hicks Canyon Elementary School, swim team four times a week and gymnastics and art once a week. “He said she’s very deft at playing,” recounted Shin, adding that Buono was eager to get a recorded copy of Pan’s performance into composer Liebermann’s hands. 2, struck a chord with competition director Cosmo Buono. Her seven-minute song of choice, Lowell Liebermann’s Nocturne No. On May 18, donning a white dress, Pan took to the stage at the preeminent Manhattan venue, in the footsteps of Gershwin, Stravinsky and Ellington.Īs the second youngest person in the winner’s circle, Pan stretched herself beyond a recommended five-minute time limit. Her first place award padded an already impressive resume and entitled her to play a song of her choice in Carnegie’s Weill Hall. “Not too many kids can perform at Carnegie Hall.”Įarlier this year, Pan sonically duked it out to win a top prize in the international Bradshaw & Buono competition. That’s an understatement, said Jenny Shin, Pan’s piano instructor, who works at Opus 119 school of music in Irvine. ![]() ![]() “I want to be a scientist or an author,” she said quietly, nearly whispering. Ask 10-year-old piano prodigy Phoebe Pan about her career aspirations and she’ll shoot back an expansive – but nonmusical – shortlist. ![]()
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