A tiny piano prodigy found internet fame this month when she toddled on stage in the midst of a pro orchestra performance and dazzled the entire theater with her mystifying talent.
Three-year-old Joelle Poon – a child so small that she was practically swallowed in the ruffles of her Cinderella-blue dress – unleashed a classical rendition so far beyond her years that her performance has already topped more than 3.6 million YouTube views within just two weeks of hitting the site. Music Man readers can watch the magic unfold in the video below…
As Joelle is led from the stage wings to the grand piano by the orchestra’s conductor, Dr. Artem Konstantinov, the live audience exclaims in a chorus of wonderstruck ‘ooh’s’ charged with sheer anticipation, shocked at how such a young girl could brave performing alongside an orchestra of much older musicians.
The pressure is on as Joelle takes her first bows, but she appears utterly unfazed, soon climbing onto the piano stool from a booster footstool and following the conductor’s lead to begin.
But nothing could have prepared the audience for what Joelle does next.
Joelle doesn’t simply blend her prodigal piano skills beneath the orchestra’s sound, but leads the entire piece herself, from its first notes to its last, with the orchestra backlighting her show-stealing part.
And the piece in question? Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2; an instantly recognizable work which melts haunting themes with moments of drama and spellbinding beauty.
At just three years old, Joelle draws out the sheer emotion underlying the timeless piece, understanding each interlinking mood and accenting all the right phrases.
Her hands are barely large enough to stretch into some of her piano chords but, almost defying the odds, she reaches each note in perfect time as she serves melody and harmony together, even crossing her arms to stretch to the highest notes as the piece progresses.
Just in case she hasn’t wowed the crowd enough, Joelle runs through the entire waltz without any sheet music before her, performing the piece entirely from memory, breaks and all, in the ultimate feat of talent.
Once Joelle’s piano tutor, Shirley Lo, posted the performance to YouTube, viewers couldn’t help but spread their love for the blossoming young pianist.
One top commenter pointed out, ‘It’s not just her brain that is amazing. Her hand and finger strength is also incredible.’ Another fan noticed, ‘It’s not just knowing to play the piece on the piano, it’s also the composure, the concentration, and the ability to play in accordance with the orchestra!’