A 2-year-old baby named Gavriil from Russia has been passionate about listening to the piano since birth. At just over a year old, a video of him improvising on the piano went viral on the internet, astonishing millions of people.
Living in St. Petersburg, this young piano enthusiast is surrounded by music from a family rooted in the arts. His 42-year-old father, Vasily Shcherbenko, is a software programmer, while his mother, Anastasia Bar, is a film director and a professor at the Higher School of Directors and Scriptwriters in St. Petersburg, specializing in training students’ innovative abilities. Gavriil also has two older sisters, Ksenia, 20, and Pelageya, 18.
Growing up in a musical environment, Gavriil now has his own YouTube channel with over 310,000 followers, showcasing his musical talents.
His mother, Bar, recognized the significance of music for her son early on.
Gavriil displayed a remarkable musical talent from infancy. When he sat on his family’s laps listening to them play the piano, he showed “a great sense of satisfaction.” Gradually, he started reaching out to touch the piano keys on his own.
“One day, while sitting on my lap, he played multiple notes in a row for the first time,” Bar told The Epoch Times, “meaning, he began pressing multiple keys simultaneously, which was quite astonishing.”
On Christmas evening in 2022, Bar recorded a video of Gavriil (just over 1 year and 3 months old) playing the piano for the first time and shared it on her social media page. What made his parents “extremely happy” was that Gavriil enjoyed playing the instrument every day afterwards.
“We wanted to share it with our friends, so we had to create a separate social media page for him,” Bar said. “But initially, we didn’t think it was anything special until the amazed viewers who watched the video started leaving us messages. Approximately two weeks later, the video had accumulated millions of views.”
Due to Gavriil’s young age, his parents had no intention of enrolling him in formal piano lessons.
“We did not arrange systematic basic training for him, and many fans have criticized us for this,” the mother said. “We decided not to hire a professional teacher or attend training courses until our son turns 3. We wanted to let him play spontaneously and freely for now.”
As he continues to amaze online audiences worldwide, some have noted that Gavriil seems to have an “Old Soul.” When asked about this, his mother agreed while also expressing “confusion” about it.
“Watching him ‘communicate’ so perfectly with this instrument, you would feel it’s an incredible miracle. We always feel a bit mysterious,” she said.
Apart from his piano and musical talents, Gavriil excels in sports and enjoys running around like other children his age, but with some unique qualities.
The mother mentioned that Gavriil had “large hands” at birth, almost “twice the size” of other children his age. Furthermore, doctors informed them that their son was “very strong.”
“To play the piano, you need to press the keys with force, something other children simply can’t do because their hands aren’t that strong. In addition to that, there’s a coincidence of him being born into a musical family. It seems like some sort of arrangement, a divine arrangement—I can’t quite explain it. All in all, he is a tall, strong boy,” Bar said.
Apart from going viral online, Gavriil and his family have been invited to various performances in Russia, although they have declined some opportunities.
“For us, it’s not important at all,” Bar said. “We never aimed to shape our son into a prodigy, not seeking records or deliberately cultivating him. Instead, we want to give him the space to freely express himself, which he genuinely enjoys. As for formal piano lessons, that’s something for the future.”
Though many compare Gavriil to the “musical prodigy” Mozart, his family wishes for him to enjoy a carefree childhood and the endless joy that music brings.
“All along, we believe in this saying: genius is not cultivated, it’s innate. You just need to grow happily, love what you love, do what you like. If you’re a genius, your talents will naturally show. But more importantly, let them grow into a kind, happy person, that’s our primary duty as parents.”