Despite longstanding interest and fascination in musical prodigies, little is known about their psychological profile. Musical prodigies reach exceptionally high levels of achievement before adolescence.

Department of Psychology, International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Weiss, Megha Sharda and Isabelle Peretz * Jekyll And Mr.Chanel Marion-St-Onge, Michael W. I hope you will be pleased with my son but you must not expect a prodigy.Ī cry followed he reeled, staggered, clutched at the table and held on, staring with injected eyes, gasping with open mouth and as I looked there came, I thought, a change-he seemed to swell-his face became suddenly black and the features seemed to melt and alter-and the next moment, I had sprung to my feet and leaped back against the wall, my arms raised to shield me from that prodigy, my mind submerged in terror. (Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London) He had lived life, and seen things, and performed that prodigy of prodigies, namely, the turning of his back upon his own people, and, in so far as it was possible for an Indian, becoming a white man even in his mental processes. I told him all I knew, but he would have believed anything I might have taken it into my head to impart to him for he had a profound veneration for my abilities, and informed his wife in my hearing, on that very occasion, that I was a young Roeshus-by which I think he meant prodigy. (Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift) My principal endeavour was to learn the language, which my master (for so I shall henceforth call him), and his children, and every servant of his house, were desirous to teach me for they looked upon it as a prodigy, that a brute animal should discover such marks of a rational creature.

Or, if you shall so prefer to choose, a new province of knowledge and new avenues to fame and power shall be laid open to you, here, in this room, upon the instant and your sight shall be blasted by a prodigy to stagger the unbelief of Satan. (Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That a man whom he had come to regard as a machine for tying cravats and brewing chocolate should suddenly develop fiery human passions was indeed a prodigy. Which is which?' and Laurie bent like a well-sweep to examine the prodigies. He is generally thought a fine young man, but do not expect a prodigy. Prodigious (so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe) The Marines are expected to perform prodigies of valorĮxample exemplar good example model (something to be imitated) Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents Prodigious (of momentous or ominous significance)Īn impressive or wonderful example of a particular quality He looked for an omen before going into battleĪugury foretoken preindication sign (an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come)ĭeath knell (an omen of death or destruction) Omen portent presage prodigy prognostic prognostication Girl wonder (an extremely talented young female person) Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of 'prodigy'):īoy wonder (an extremely talented young male person)Ĭhild prodigy infant prodigy wonder child (a prodigy whose talents are recognized at an early age) Brain brainiac Einstein genius mastermind (someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality)

English music prodigy