Ethan Bortnick

About

The definition of child prodigy, Ethan Bortnick is a young pianist who has been playing in the public eye since his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at the age of 5. Bortnick taught himself how to play the piano by ear at the age of 3 and can play nearly every song just by hearing it once. He also took up composition at the same age, making him the world's youngest composer. After appearing on multiple talk shows, at charity events - where he has played with the likes of Beyonce, Josh Groban and Elton John, amongst others - and on his own hour-long PBS special, Bortnick is somewhat of a household name. In 2010, the young pianist embarked on a national tour; Bortnick's shows include his original pieces preceded by an explanation from the charming and often humorous prodigy about how and why he wrote the piece.