Nathan Chan, cellist, plays Elegy by Ian Venables

[1Silvus1]

the next yo-yo ma :D

[darlenieXD]

I love your videos so please post more! I am such a big fan and love your work! -Love, Darlene

[MsCellobass]

envious!



[Vlessgorian]

question: does the piece finish in a B flat or did he miss it? (I've never heard this piece before) I have just heard THE child prodigy. I think his interpretation can truly be described as prodigious. I heard this piece in the right moment, since I'm working right now in a piece for cello and piano.

[videoposter1410]

lol nathan did u get a new cello? this isnt the same one as in the debussy vid, is it? btw, nice emotions and phrasing in ur playing--makes it sound real nice. :)

[Lextasy29]

i love this kid so much, i first saw him on hbo's "i got the music in me" special and he honestly brought tears to my eyes

[abbsterbean]

@Lextasy29 me too!

[yooy334]

this is one of my fav this is veeery good i played the same one a couple of years ago i love it good job

[CanadaPisces]

A very promising cellest! TY!

[cjamesackley]

perfect... its 4 am, after over 48 hours of not being able to sleep, i think this has finally made me calm. thank you. it was.. brilliant.

[ChimpaChino6]

I love every bit of that song! You have a very gifted talent! Keep on playing!

[Redkandykane]

Very pretty. Loved it!

[violintricia]

how beautiful cello he has!!

btw nice playing!!

[TheNintendo64freak]

You're amazing 5 stars.

[GoodFrances23]

man if hes only 13 now, and this was in 2007 hes probably 15 and even better at cello

[mooman098]

Yes, he's one of my friends!

It's unbelievable to hear him play in person,

I feel privileged every time he brings his cello with him, haha.

[GoodFrances23]

he's one of ur friends? thats crazy hes an awesome cellist

[stevebyname1]

cellogeek - thanks yes that was it. But unfortunately all the parts are on youtube except the one that has Chan's intro so I guess they took it down.

[stevebyname1]

something on tv with this kid last night. he played something i guess he wrote, he was slapping the strings like you would a bass and it sounded really cool, anyone seen it and know what it was called?

[Yeutti]

Yeah, it was just shown on tv tonight!! You can go see it on 4OD- The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies!!! Hope this helps!!

[stevebyname1]

thanks - yeah I saw it the first time around like a week ago on Sunday so I guess they showed exactly the same one again. I'll check it out!

[gangstamuggle]

Julie-O by Mark Summers I think

[cellogeek95]

Do you mean The World´s Greatest Musical Prodigies? It´s on youtube aswell.

[violintricia]

great performance!!

what a beautiful cello..

looks like antique..

[jekyllcorvus]

wow, damn that kid can play

[platypusfredrik]

is he the smae nathan that played the swan on youtube?

[QuackSquirrel]

ya, he is sooooo good!

[xXBlackxXxRoseXx]

He is so AWESOME!!!I just listened to him live today,and now im obsessed XD

[SBQ904]

lol same here i heard him today and just had 2 look him up on here...

[rhthesinner]

Wonderful! I was lucky enough to have a front row seat at The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies concert during the week where he played Dvorak and a new piece by Alex Prior. One of the best musical nights of my life. I met him at the after show party. One of the nicest little guys you could ever meet. And pretty funny too.

[SBQ904]

yup he's pretty funny - i went to a concert that had him as a special guest today and the conductor called him an "interesting dude" and asked him if he wuz watching Family Guy again cuz he wuz saying so many insane things lol...

[rhthesinner]

I would so love to go see him play again. In the meantime, I'll at least be able to catch him on tv in the UK next month.

[bagelbites10]

he goes to my school in san Francisco

[xXBlackxXxRoseXx]

What school does he go to O.o?

[lovelylauren1905]

He's the next Yo Yo ma! :D

[ludocresh5]

yo yo ma sucks its all about jaquiline du pre

[fercha90s]

he's not yo yo ma...

[cellolove7]

yo yo ma doesn't suck just because jackie du pre is really good. he's great, too.

[romy1269]

Quelle grâce ! magnifique !

[simkire]

hey, thats MY name!MY name is nathan chan! what?! lol

[Kudo987]

There's a lot of videos about you

[Laaadyvengance]

i cry at night because i know i'll never be as good as him. :[

[aznguyiscool]

he filled in for yo yo ma?? omg... u guys.. be quiet and admit he's a prodigy... u guys r just jealous!!! :) asdfjkl;

[adrianvel14]

@aznguyiscool Oh im jealous indeed :P

[pyromaniacs730]

the cello itself ts amazing. the sound its producing is so full and almost woody. no disrespect to the player, who is very good, but i would kill to have such a high quality instrument.

[rollingrock259]

I went to middle school with him and believe me he is freaking amazing

[ecline946]

thats soo cool

[GirlieGirl516]

yes, this was very good. but seriously, i wouldn't call him a prodigy.

[Enix5548]

Very nice intonation but you have too much glissando so it makes it sound very weird.

[cheesecake2495]

prevent collapsing of fingers in thumb position

bravissimo

also is this your 1780 domenico busan 7/8?

[cellolove7]

he has a great sound, and is really musical, but that doesn't make him a prodigy!

[yes1no2maybe3so4]

ummm..how shall i say this without being offensive?

well, I now go to high school with Nathan (and yes, I really do, he is a sophomore and I am a freshman) and let me just tell you, he really is a prodigy

1. he had his own hbo special

2. he filled in for yo yo ma on a Roberta Flac album

4. he has music on itunes

have you done/had any of those? i don't think so!

i've listened to him play his electric cello live at our jazz concert, and it really is a spectacle, and in my opinion, he is a prodigy.

[cellolove7]

hahaha, 1. 2. 4.

he could very well be a prodigy, but if he is, this video doesn't show it because the piece is not very technical. it was an absolutely stunning performance, and his tone and ear for tambre is awesome, but it's not significant evidence for him being a prodigy.

[sarahachesghan]

He is not a prodigy i have studied with the same teacher as him since i was four and let me tell you he just has a good public relations manager.

But dont get me wrong he is good this video just doesnt show it

[dharoks6]

anyone know where i can find dramatic chello music?

[cellolove7]

haha, faure elegie. and this, definitely.

[Joe12341991]

ian venables teaches me politics woop

[skinchu]

He will be another YoYo Ma one day; maybe even better.

[SpongeInBlack]

omg he got so big since when he was 11!

[azianrice25]

i agree with budfrog he is a prodigy..... cellolover just stfu u little 13 year old... god.. ur annoying

[violinistgurl]

his music playing is so touching and it gives feeling

[avatar098]

he has gotten soo much better since 2 years ago when he was 11...

this is the way dynamics should be.. =]

[violinistgurl]

he was pretty good tho for an 11 year tho

[cellolove7]

yeah, he has! he's great.

[linkinlolipop]

oh gosh! I can actually feel that feeling!!! the overwhelming feeling. it's just breathtaking!

[konoha456123]

SHEET MUSIC!!!! PLEEZ!!

[cellolove7]

Ok i take it back. He probably is a prodigy.

[cellolove7]

i re-take it back. he's just really good.

[tacianobacteria]

Amazing!!!

That's really touchs in the inside!

[pandaowner]

This guy will be the world's greatest cellist one day.

[cellolove7]

He is very good, but not a prodigy.

[budfrog821]

youre a disgrace to the human race. this is a boy that hasnt even started puberty yet that can make adults cry with his amazing abilities. go back to your middle class blue collar job and lament the fact that you are 44 and have a quarter of the talent nathan chan does.

[cellolove7]

Actually, I'm 13. I just picked a random age when I made my Youtube account. And I said he was very good. He's just not quite a prodigy. And the talent thing--I'm not as good as he is, but I'm better than you think. For goodness' sake, a disgrace to the human race? Please.

[budfrog821]

so youre telling me that his talent is NOT natural? that he is this good ONLY from practicing constantly? music is more than hitting the right note at the right time. Chan's musical voice and passion alone are astounding, not to mention his mature interpretation of what he plays. he IS a prodigy

[cellolove7]

I didn't say anything about his talent, stupid. He's very good, and he does understand what he's playing, and he's passionate about it. But I know lots of kids his age who can play like that. He's not a prodigy.

[budfrog821]

im going to call your bluff and say you dont know a single person directly that has his musical ability. you probably couldnt even describe timbre without going to look it up. your musical knowledge is non-existant. you fail at life... goodbye

[cellolove7]

Yes, I do! I do know what timbre is (the quality of a note aside from dynamics and vibrato speed), and I know kids his age who are just as good as him, two in particular. You don't even know me, so you can't tell me who or what I know and who or what I don't know.

[budfrog821]

PRODIGY:

Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[prod-i-jee]

--noun, plural -gies.

1. a person, esp. a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability in relation to his peers: a musical prodigy.

are your two buddies featured on HBO? did they conduct a symphony at age 3? no on both counts. cellolove7 - 0 budfrog821 - 2. all of your comments after this will not be responded to, so enjoy the last word, or admit that you are a musical and intellectual pygmy.

[cellolove7]

Maybe he's a prodigy in conducting. To be able to conduct a symphony at age 3 takes a tremendous understanding of music and also high intelligence. You're right, he is a very special person and musician, but he's just not quite a prodigy. You want to see a cello (and piano) prodigy? Check out Oliver Aldort.

[paperdoll978]

just zip it, you are just jealous...:)

[cellolove7]

whatever ;)

[paperdoll978]

poop-pee-poop-pee :)

[MsCellobass]

@budfrog821 agree with u whole heartedly

[Jimbothenoob]

@budfrog821 Anyone can be taught the meaning of music. His secret, I think, is just really good upbringing.

[Anigame]

he goes to my school! i love that kid

[flunkybed]

wait does he live in canada?

i looked him up on google and this one page says he lives in alberta, canada..

on another note: HE'S AMAZING

[chingchangpingpong]

nah he attends lick wilmerding high school in sf

but he lives in hillsborough california

[tovd55]

ya hes a pretty crazy guy. really hyper, but whenever he performs, he's really serious and extraordinary

[bestpi]

His ability to emote pain and sadness through his music is extraordinary.

[jballa99]

he goes to my school!

[richyrich356]

woah really?....

[jballa99]

yup

he's so freakin good at cello lol

[anohbey]

where is this 13 year old drawing his emotions from? seems like he has a well spring of emotions. i heard him play the swan by saint saens and it was just moving. smart kid too!

[BenChanisAmazing]

Ah, the beauty of a string instrument warms the heart. <3

[slut209]

how beautiful i love how he plays

[gadogado123]

incredibly moving!

[YouveStolenMyEyes]

he's very good for his age but it's not exactly in tune.. very musical though. he has a very nice cello.

[Neuronix0401]

without words...awesome

[Sulalee]

Would love to see a clip of you playing, too...

[Lerumu]

Wow!!What a genias!!

[ChieftainFish]

There isn't a doubt that this kid will be famous. But seriously, that cello is way to big for him.

[ajkxstyle]

but amazingly, he can play it with pefection.

the cello is sooo him.

[itsydogcello]

if it fits him,his style,his technique,then ITS GOOD.......seeems to be working just fine

[1laststory]

haha i betta than him and i am 11

[chobiv7]

makes me wanna cry.

he's so good!!!!! &hearts;

[AnimmeFann]

use to go to school with him =D

[PatyRlz]

:O I'm jealous!

[swordcollector92]

Damn. I'm jealous.

That was absolutely wonderful.

[sweetsophia98]

inspiring.

i play the violin and im continuously inspired to move up to the cello.

=p

[Enix5548]

Those are all larsen strings I believe. They're all my favorite strings.

[chelly2194]

wow! how can u tell what kind of strings they are? wow

[pdm1206]

they are larsen cello strings they are one of the best!

[STEFFaSAURUSrexx]

wow, he has nice strings.. prolly like 100 dollars. hah. mine are cheap x[

[slut209]

wow im falling in love with this kid and im 13

[xXLeafXNinjaXx]

*looks at username*

...

[ThatKiddoMike]

BAHA, you made me lol

that aside --- he's a brilliant boy.

[1hmm2]

LOL

[brian117972]

He's a prodigy?? hmm

[Enix5548]

You're the first one I saw using nice, slow vibratos. Everyone else is just a little too fast. Enjoyed this.

[kevalenoxx]

what type of cello is that?

[karuni360]

there's types? :/

[kevalenoxx]

Yeah like a brand of cello lol

[karuni360]

there's types? :/

[slut209]

yes theres types like maple or something

[karuni360]

O... lol i forgot what my question was

[sciviolin]

I personally now like the cello's tone over the violin's. Excellent Job!!!

[tnmtemerity]

I wonder what he wants to do when he grows up. :-)

[flunkybed]

btw, can anyone tell me where to find the sheet music for this?

[flunkybed]

:'( I am NEVER going to be that good. Ever.

[metaxassasin]

very nice full size cello.  nice tone. :] and i love your technique.

[schrauss]

tout simplement beau :D

[rockogem]

how would you know?

i went to school with nancy zhou

look her up

[nikenna]

Bravo! Bravo! Magnifique!

[JonnyZywiciel]

i was lucky enough to go to elementary and secondary school with Nathan, and to see him progress this far is so amazing, I love the kid.

[eightpicks]

good grief--that *instrument*

and that *kid*

[mrskittykins]

I think that it's amazing that he can play a big cello, I am a lot bigger than him but I play 3/4 cello full size hurts my knees but if he can play well w/ a big cello then oh well.

[SufficientxGrace]

I love his purple shirt and pants. :D

[edevra]

caitygirl120:

ks3333333 isnt trying to be mean, it's called constructive criticism. that's how it is in the music world and you can't get bent out of shape. im sure the guy playing wouldnt be offended at all. it's not your job to get mad at anybody who says something that isn't doting and fluffy rainbows forever... chill out

[bene1007]

His talent is extraordinary; his feeling for music is deeply innate. I have no doubt he was a virtuoso cellist in his past life.

[cellocraze]

absolutly amazing

[caitygirl120]

Shut up ks33333333, this kid is amazing, so what if the cello is a little big, it is amazing that his fingers are even long enough to reach all of the notes, so untill you have your own fanbase for your cello accomplishments, don't talk.

[chelly2194]

um its called constructive critism.

[ks3333333]

i think cello is little big and i play the cello to and i`ve done that piece ,yeah i know its really fun (and sad )but i think you tone would be a lot better if you hade smaller cello

[11spacemarine11]

I understand where your coming from, the cello is a tad big, but he did hit every note perfectly. But you always form an attatchment with your cello - i would find it hard to part from.

~Elizabeth

[theburlapsack]

he'll grow into it. no need to be nit-picky. he still sounds beautiful.

[hailfire55]

hi will grow into it and he sounds great, but its true we would be better with a smaller cello. if the cello is too big it can mess up you hand for future playing

[xivoryviolinist]

congratualtions; I think you're on your way to surpassing Yo Yo Ma. And when you do that...I think I'll die.

[Orandajiny]

omg too awesome <3 cant believe ur only so young and play with such passion ^^ ur the best i've heard so far!

[guitarocker69607]

dont call me stariotype -- im not .... its just that asians are good at everything... and some of them are singey ..not saying that u are ... may be its cause they got more resect for stuff and they work harder at stuff because they go to school 6 days a week !

[guitarocker69607]

child prodegey !!!

[guitarocker69607]

y r asians always go @ everything

[Jmochi]

Just because many Asians are smart or hardworking doesn't justify you to think of them as superior. That's called STEREOTYPE.

Btw, I'm Asian. I play violin, and I'm not to shabby, but I've seen tons of Asians who suck at it. So Asians being prodigious isn't all true, you know. Everyone has their quirks.

[pjn45]

Ian Venables is a sound chap for sure!

[AzianFOO911]

great job Nathan!

[patriciagala]

Its my forst time rating you tube and I meant to give a 5 star!!!! What a kid.

[DaveH]

I must say I love Ian Venables music!

[kittypaws1]

amazing! that was soooo beautiful!! wonderful job nathan!  and what a beautiful piece by Ian Venables! im definitely going to check out his website!

[Dontaskpleeze]

That was GREAT! Wow, what passion!