Does a life of a child prodigy means a life of strict discipline ?
A life of pressure and lacking of 'normalcy' ?
It all depends on how you look at it.
Let me explain ...
I was born into a family renowned for its musicians and artists through several generations. My father was an active violinist and violist. My grandmother, although a medical worker by profession, was very skilled amateur piano player and singer. She had a grand piano in her house, a house I lived with her for the first six years of my life, and played it almost every day.
It was only natural that I expressed a keen interest for music quite early and started to play piano when I was just 3 years old. And I continued to play to this day simply because I loved it so much that could not live without it.
It is not like I kept looking through the window longing to play with other children instead of playing piano. That NEVER happened !
I have no regrets. I could not imagine a different childhood, with less music and less playing hours.
Nor I could imagine my life now without playing piano for many hours every day.
As my former piano teacher Igor Lazko said to me, you choose this profession only if you cannot live without it. As it is a lot of work, without free days, without long holidays, requiring a lot of discipline, motivation and determination.
But when you do it because you cannot live without it, it is not sacrifice, it is - LOVE.
And you do it, out of love.
In the photo: Xenia E. Zilli, 6 years old
A darling, then and now, and a very talented polymath artist.