There is one nice article about Emily published on our well-known website:
A kid at heart: Rockford’s piano prodigy Emily Bear turns 8 on Sunday By Georgette Braun
GO.RRSTAR.COM
The past two years, Emily Bear has made a name for herself, writing classical and jazz piano compositions and playing them in live performances on talk and documentary TV shows and at the White House.
On Sunday, Emily turns 8 years old.
She still delights with the cute smile and sweet disposition that the producers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” had to know early on would make her a five-time returning guest.
At home in Rockford, Emily plucks grape tomatoes she has grown in her family’s organic garden with giddy pride. And she is captivated by almost every move the family’s 9-month-old miniature golden labradoodle, Winston, makes when he’s sniffing around the yard.
In other words, Emily is still a little brown-eyed girl who likes to play dress-up and will eat any kind of fruit or vegetable.
But the look on her face last week oozed analytical sophistication when she was composing a piano piece at home. It was a song she wrote in a spur of the moment for the Queen of England, whom she told a reporter she’d really like to meet some day.
As she focused on the playing of the keys on her electronic piano, Emily layered in the sounds of oboes, then violins, to the classical/pop melody. Her eyes looked up to the right as she furrowed her brow and let her fingers do the walking over the keys before landing them on certain ones. If it didn’t sound just right to her, she’d quickly restart at the unacceptable part, flipping this lever and that one to create the orchestral sounds for the music she wanted to hear.
Such orchestration is among Emily’s first steps, her mother, Andrea, says, to the career Emily hopes to have when she’s older. Emily wants to compose music for movies. “Like John Williams. I like the music in the ‘Star Wars’ movies,” Emily says of the American conductor/composer/pianist whose credits along with the “Star Wars” films include “Home Alone,” “Jaws” and the “Indiana Jones” series.
For the near future, though, Emily has other plans, some kidlike, others, not as much: Emily will celebrate her 8th birthday with family and friends at the farm of a family friend. They’ll go on a scavenger hunt, pick wildflowers, and eat hot dogs and s’mores. If she had her choice of birthday presents, she’d prefer these, she says: “a new turquoise bike, a new swing set for my family and 10 puppies.”
Next month, she’ll head to Los Angeles for the first Noble Awards Oct. 18. Emily will be one of five musical acts performing at the star-studded event that will recognize charities and the celebrities who support them.
— By Georgette Braun
Profile: Emily Bear
Age: Turns 8 on Sunday, Aug. 30
Residence: Rockford; her family has lived here 12 years.
Family: Dr. Brian Bear, orthopedic surgeon, father; Andrea Bear, mother; siblings, Benji, 12, and Lauren, 9
Accomplishments include: Appearances on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Good Morning America” and “Sunday Night,” an Australian news magazine show for an episode on child prodigies; performances at the White House, Ravinia and with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra; three CDs, including her latest, “Once Upon A Wish,” and a fourth to be released this fall.
Music teachers: For piano, James Giles from Northwestern University (classical) and Alan Swain (jazz); also mentored by Yocheved Kaplinsky, head of Juilliard Piano Department.
Upcoming local show: Emily will perform for 15 minutes or so at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center, 415 N. Church St., Rockford. Cost is $15. She will play piano before or after the screening of the film, “Note By Note,” a documentary that follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand piano. The event is tied to a Steinway piano sale at Mendelssohn Nov. 20 to 22, and a portion of the proceeds will support maintenance of the center’s six Steinways. For more information, go to mendelssohnpac.org.
Likes: Brussels sprouts, having her fingernails painted, making crafts including gluing seashells she has collected to a wooden treasure chest the size of a bread box, reading books including her favorite, “The Little Princess.”
This was really a wonderful and captivating read. It is great to see how well things are going for Emily. I always thought making film music may be one of the goals Emily could certainly achieve, but I hope we will hear some self made Jazz at some time, too :-D
If I read right, we have to add a new date to Emily's schedule, which is the Nov 19th.
another incredible article about Emily with another incredible photo. I have nearly fallen down from my chair. Enjoy:
Ellen’s favorite Rockford pianist will be watching her on Idol
September 14th, 2009 at 11:47am Georgette Braun
Emily Bear, 8, doesn’t watch much TV, especially considering all her gigs with celebrities and local on-stage appearances, not to mention schoolwork.
But the cheery and charming piano player and composer will make time to watch “American Idol,” now that Ellen DeGeneres is a judge, Emily’s mom, Andrea Bear, told me today. Andrea said Emily is expected to make her sixth appearance in two years on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” this fall some time.
By the way, another show about talented Americans, “America’s Got Talent,” which announces this season’s winner on Wednesday, twice came calling for Emily, but the family declined the offers, Andrea said. She said producers of the show had asked Emily to audition. “We were just not sure it was the right thing at the right time,” Andrea said.
(KATY MULL | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Pianist Emily Bear of Rockford holds her pet Winston, a miniature golden labradoodle, Aug. 18 at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center in Rockford, where she’ll perform Nov. 19.)
Emily’s schedule is full these days anyway. In the next few months, she’ll:
* Record her fourth CD tomorrow. It is expected to be released in about a month and includes classical and jazz pieces as well as love songs.
* Perform as one of five musical acts at the Oct. 18 first Noble Awards in Los Angeles. (It won’t be televised.) The star-studded event will recognize charities and the celebrities who support them.
* Perform at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center, 415 N. Church St., Rockford. Cost is $15. Emily will play piano before or after the screening of the film, “Note By Note,” a documentary that follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand piano.
Another wonderful article on Emily. Thanks for finding it, and such a lovely photo!!! And I must agree, I would not think AGT would be adequate for Emily.
I think it would have been great to see Emily on AGT with her personality, smile, and talent she would have gone a long way in the competition maybe even won. But on the other hand I would never question the judgment of the Bear family they know Emily and know whats best for her and if they felt this wasn't the right time or place for her then it wasn't, but what a ride she could have taken us all on.
Post by dfwtexan42 on Sept 19, 2009 23:14:05 GMT -6
Another great article! Notice it was AGT that contracted the Bear family, not the other way around. AGT could benefit from the publicity of Emily on the show, however Emily is doing just fine without AGT. With her talent and sweet personality, she will never lack for media coverage.
Jerry
Last Edit: Sept 19, 2009 23:15:15 GMT -6 by dfwtexan42
Another great article! Notice it was AGT that contracted the Bear family, not the other way around. AGT could benefit from the publicity of Emily on the show, however Emily is doing just fine without AGT. With her talent and sweet personality, she will never lack for media coverage.
Jerry
Jerry,
I completely agree with you. I was also surprised that AGT contacts some people to participate on this show. But on other hand I understand it. And I also agree with Emily's parents decision. However, who know's next year is probably again AGT and who knows ... However what is very joyfull is another Emily's visit on Ellen show this fall. We don't have to miss it.
This post is mainly for all having problems with English understanding like me . I think I don't have to introduce this video: ;D I am always glad when I can understand all what was said and thanks to this page I can now. Thanks.
(now it has 6 132 614 views) How many 6-year-olds can say they performed at the White House? Emily Bear can make that claim. The little girl from Rockford, Illinois, was born to play the piano. And she writes much of her own music. So maybe, just maybe, we've found the next Mozart. This is the story of a little girl who was born with a gift. And she opened that gift early. -This comes out to me…this comes out. -Where does it come from? -I don't know. Probably in my… -In your…? -…heart. You could call her a piano prodigy, though the "P word" is never used in the Bear home. This is all unknown territory for all of us. I've heard about kids like this. I never thought I'd have one! Her siblings, 12-year-old Benjie, and 7-year-old Lauren, are also talented musicians. My brother plays electric and acoustic guitar, my sister plays the harp and piano, and I only play the piano. But I would like to play the flute. Emily was "discovered" four years ago by her grandmothers – one of them, a concert pianist… …who's made a career of teaching musically gifted children like Emily. I just love music. It's my passion. Four years ago, Emily's mom and dad took a trip, and left Grandma in charge. She heard someone playing piano and thought it was the eldest child. I was overwhelmed. It was the baby, who was 2 years old and 1 month, playing a C-scale, with three fingers. -Play your scale, Emmy. -Grandma Murrow immediately contacted the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York. He said there's only one person in the country, his name is Emilio Del Rosario, he teaches at the Music Institute of Chicago. With instruction from Del Rosario and many generous mentors… …including Mary Sauer, the Chicago Symphony's principal keyboardist, Emily has blossomed. They're practicing Mozart's Concerto No. 23 that Emily will play next March with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. What she does in her music in all the styles that she plays in, she is speaking directly from inside of her……which is why jazz is so comfortable for her. Yet her favorite song is not Jazz or Mozart, but one she wrote herself for Mr. D, her loving piano teacher, who is now ill. -What are you gonna be when you grow up? -Composer. I like Mozart because he's kinda like me, and I'm kinda like him. Like her playing, Emily's composing pours from her heart. It's her patience with fumble-fingered adults like me she has to work on. With keyboard chops that would be the envy of most adults, it's easy to forget Emily is still a child. -But this one is my favorite. Do you know why? -Why? -I got it at the White House. -What is your hope for her? -To be happy. Seriously, to have good values, to be at peace in her heart. To be a really good grown-up. -But until then, the one thing Emily wants you to know… -Actually, I'm just a normal kid that plays piano. And most…I like inspiring kids. -Oh, wow. -Wow. Emily will play at Ravinia again in September. She played there last summer at the age of 5. We've compiled a number of Emily's recent performances on our website, along with her latest CD. -You can check out wgntv.com. Allison, she is such a joy to listen to. -You know what, Steve? You're right. I'm in love.
There is one article published before Emily's "Kohl’s Children’s Museum" event. One its part attracted my attention more. ;D
... Before a performance, Emily always practices, puts on her Strawberry Lip Smacker and bounces around a bit with excitement. "Then she gets out there and she’s just focused," says Emily’s mother, Andrea. ...
Nice.
-------------------- And I also want to pull out one part from this article which is a bit old and probably all of you know and read it, but I like it very much and I am really glad that Emily has so great parents.
.... A responsibility because mom Andrea says fame is not the priority for this family, happiness, values, hard work ethic. Those are number one.
"She's a kid, first and foremost, and her music seems to flow out of her, and we want to keep that fun and normal. She'll be an adult a lot longer than she'll be a kid," says Andrea Bear. .....
"I am just a normal kid, that plays the piano, and the most I like inspiring kids"
If you find some free time read a story in this link and you can see that Emily really inspires people (children as well as adults). It is beautiful to have such gift.
And also one note from Internet. You probably met some article or comment dealing with "Is Emily next Mozart?". I am not going to discuss about that. And people who created this page already solved this problem and first sentence on their page captivated me enough to post it here:
"Could your child be the next Mozart or Emily Bear?"
Two Piano Solo Songbooks Now Exclusively Available Worldwide, More Matching Folios to Come
MILWAUKEE - Your average eight-year-old might have a hectic schedule of school, homework, Scout meetings and soccer games. Emily Bear's calendar looks something like this: perform at the White House, tape Ellen DeGeneres Show, headline Ravinia concert, solo with the symphony.
Emily, born on August 30, 2001, is a supremely gifted pianist and composer from Rockford, Illinois. At a year old, she could sing back lullabies in perfect pitch. When she was two, her grandmother recognized her talent at the piano. At three, she began composing her own music. She now has more than 200 pieces to her credit; for "Northern Lights," she won the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award - when she was six. Among her current mentors are the principal keyboardist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the head of the piano department at Juilliard.
Equally comfortable playing jazz, classical, or her own compositions, Emily has recorded four CDs of original music: Five Years Wise, The Love in Us, Once upon a Wish and Always True. Profits from their sales support Susan G. Komen for The Cure, UNICEF, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and the Children's Hospitals of Los Angeles and Chicago.
Hal Leonard Corporation, the world's largest music print publisher, is proud to exclusively distribute Emily's publications around the world. Two piano solo songbooks, featuring great photos and full color throughout, are currently in stock, and more matching folios will soon follow.
The Love in Us contains the complete piano solo sheet music for the ten tunes on the CD, plus five bonus songs from Emily's first CD, Five Years Wise. The lyrics for "Rosario Sings," the sheet music for "Northern Lights," and three songs debuted on The Ellen DeGeneres Show - "Ellen's Song," "Thanks" and "The Love in Us" are included.
Once upon a Wish: A Holiday Collection and More features all the songs from the CD, including the title song that was debuted on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a wedding gift to Ellen. Also featured are Emily's holiday originals, "Christmas Bells" and "Giving."
Stories about Emily have run on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and WGN, among other outlets. This summer, she will make her international debut, performing in Italy, Taiwan and Czechoslovakia, and on Voices of America radio. John Jacobson's interview with Emily will appear in the October/November issue of Hal Leonard's Music Express classroom educational magazine, read by more than three million students.
Some of you already know why I was so surprised. Yes it is word "Czechoslovakia". She will perform in Czechoslovakia? (Sorry I have to repeat it because I don't believe in my own eyes). On other hand it is funny because the country Czechoslovakia doesn't exists for 17 years. ;D And Taiwan. Wooow. Great. Now I am looking forward to more details.
I didn't want to make special thread for Emily's brother Benji (although Winston already has one :-)) so I post it here. There is one article on Internet and it says:
Local Student Uses Art to Raise Money For Homeless
KidsReported by: Joelle Parks Thursday, May 06 2010
Rockford resident Emily Bear made the national spotlight as a child prodigy piano player over the last few years, but she's not the only talented member of the family. Her older brother Benji is using his skills to help those in need. Thirteen-year-old Benji Bear has always had a natural talent for art. ‘I would draw all the time and I had this sketch pad and this one time I had this friend who was really sad so I drew him a picture saying be happy,” he says. Benji already helps out homeless kids in the district by collecting shampoo and other items, but his ‘Be Happy Man’ made his special friend smile and offered a new way to help.“We used my drawings to raise money in a silent auction and we used my ‘Be Happy Man’ and we made hats, water bottles and shirts and we sold it.” The district knows of about 1,100 homeless kids, but they say there's many more that are unaccounted for. “They might be smart but they don’t have the chances and the opportunities that I do.” Benji's project started at Washington to cheer up just one friend, but now it's expanded past this school and into the community.“Everyday there’s at least one person wearing a ‘Be Happy’ shirt,” says Benji. Benji's project is expanding rapidly. He says everyone does have an opportunity to use their talents to brighten someone’s day.“With all the stuff that happens, you just have to be happy and try.” And sometimes, all it takes is a smile. Benji has already raised more that $2,000 for homeless kids in the district. For more information head to his web site www.behappyworld.net.
there is one article on Internet I come across in late few days during googling about Emily, so I decided to post it here.
America's Got Talent Child Prodigy Jackie Evancho Could Follow Emily Bear in Success Associated Content from Yahoo!™ Published August 15, 2010 by: Christopher Berenger
Since age 8, Jackie Evancho has been stunning YouTube viewers with the maturity of her voice, as seen here performing "Think of Me" from "The Phantom of the Opera". But it wasn't this performance that has people talking; Entertainment Weekly reports now 10-year old Evancho received a standing ovation from the judges on America's Got Talent August 10th for her rendition of the Giacomo Puccini aria "O Mio Babbino Caro" and advances to the semifinals. Some British news organizations like The Independent and The Sun have already begun comparing her to Britain's Got Talent singer Susan Boyle.
Another child "prodigy" (though, in her family they don't use the "p" word) would be Emily Bear of Rockford, Illinois. At age 2, her grandmother overheard the child playing a C scale with three fingers. She was referred on to Emilio del Rosario, a teacher at the Music Institute of Chicago. Bear composes her own music, but enjoys jazz, Mozart, and a variety of musical styles- all by age 6, according to WGN 9. The WGN 9 coverage of Bear has been seen by 11.77 million YouTube viewers as of this writing.
"This is all unknown territory for all of us," her mother Andrea Bear told WGN 9. "I heard about kids like this, I never thought I'd have one."
Bear performed at the White House in 2008, made her orchestral debut with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra in March, 2009, and is now a frequent guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show according to Bear's site. She talked about meeting the President, the Jonas Brothers, and breaking her nose twice in a row. You can see her perform part of a Mozart concerto and an original composition titled "Once Upon a Wish" on the show video site. As a composer at age 7, Bear had indisputable talent and had by that time written, by her count 126 original compositions from age 3 on.
A search on YouTube of child prodigies brings up numerous 5 through 8-year olds who can play virtuoso guitar, piano, or violin; they may be gifted singers or dancers. Video views rank in the hundreds of thousands or even millions, as singer Declan Galbraith's YouTube performance of "Tell Me Why" has done (see it here). How many of these prodigies will go on to perform professionally and regularly is anyone's guess. Because they are learning and intensely involved in their art at such an early age, their interest may flag or their parents may feel pushing their kids to perform nationally is not in the child's best interest. For performers like Evancho and Bear, it will be important for them to balance their love of music with ordinary kid interests like making friends, going to school, and having fun to get the most out of their childhood.
PS: When I return from my holiday I have to download and watch AGT2010 and watch how Jackie gets on. I like her voice and I listen to her album very often.
eulenspiegel2: most things have some delay because of the custom service...and very likely Emily and Abigail did not pay for speed shifting/transport...
Feb 11, 2022 16:47:40 GMT -6
eulenspiegel2: we all don‘t know anything...in recent weeks only speculation...we all have just to wait...
Sept 1, 2022 16:11:04 GMT -6
Ursula: Unfortunately I can't read the German forum. Sigh. Too bad they haven't said anything. You'd think their lawyers would come out with a statement at the least. And they keep posting on social media like everything is normal.
Sept 7, 2022 23:14:39 GMT -6
Ursula: Also why is that other forum in German. Why not English?
Sept 7, 2022 23:15:55 GMT -6
eulenspiegel2: it is a German forum...about German pop singer... you may be surprised...but the USA is not the center of the world - it is like US people coming to Europe wondering why not signs in English ..
Sept 8, 2022 5:30:36 GMT -6
ursus: Ursula, Google Translate works very well if you translate from German into English and you just need to understand the meaning of what was written. It does still require an understanding of German if you want to use it to post in that language.
Sept 14, 2022 1:53:26 GMT -6
ursus: IIRC B&B's lawyers have until 9/23 to respond to the lawsuit. It would not make sense for them to make a public statement before that. B&B themselves have undoubtedly been instructed not to say anything either. That makes sense to me.
Sept 14, 2022 1:59:52 GMT -6
eulenspiegel: Happy New Year!!!
Dec 31, 2022 18:14:37 GMT -6
mastersgttom: For the benefit of all the members and the guests who visit this site be advised that there is a You Tube video out there of Barlow and Bear doing a live stream. The video was posted by Epic Wonderland. Where she got it I have no clue.
Mar 8, 2024 12:53:33 GMT -6
mastersgttom: The video of the live stream cannot be found on any of their social media platforms. At least from any of my feeble attempts. The video is a bit hard to watch because the audio is totally out of sync with the video.
Mar 8, 2024 12:58:25 GMT -6
mastersgttom: What I got out of the video was that it had nothing to do with Moana. They were very mum about their work on that movie. Bling Ring came up in some of the comments. A bit odd that they have a live stream out there, writing music, and not making it public.
Mar 8, 2024 13:02:27 GMT -6
mastersgttom: Wow! I just noticed that it has been a little over a year since anyone has posted anything in this Shoutbox. Eluenspiegel was the last one. I messaged him this discovery a week ago but haven't heard back. He used to be the most active member here.
Mar 8, 2024 13:08:36 GMT -6