I’m always amazed when I see a young child display an incredible talent for music, whether it’s singing or playing an instrument. While most kids are busy playing with toys or watching cartoons, these prodigies have already developed skills far beyond their years. It’s almost hard to believe that, in such a short time, they’ve managed to master an instrument or perfect their singing ability.
My own musical journey was nothing like that. As a child, I wanted to learn to play the piano, so my parents signed me up for lessons and even gifted me a lovely upright piano for my birthday. Week after week, I attended my lessons, and nearly every day, I dutifully sat on the padded bench, practicing scales and working through songs I hoped to perfect.
But no matter how much I practiced, I struggled to truly master the music. Despite my efforts and the technical skills I picked up, I simply wasn’t musically gifted. After years of slow progress, I eventually realized that my time would be better spent elsewhere. To this day, I still feel for my piano teacher, who patiently sat with me every week, watching me struggle and trying to teach me skills that I would likely never fully grasp.
The young boy in this video is the complete opposite of me at his age. Feng E, a child musician from Taipei, Taiwan, plays the ukulele on the streets with a skill that seems almost effortless. Unlike me, he didn’t take formal lessons. Instead, his father introduced him to the basics, and from there, he took off on his own. Given how young he is, it’s incredible to think how quickly his talent emerged.
In this video, which has captured the attention of people all over the world, Feng E performs Tommy Emmanuel’s arrangement of Classical Gas, a well-known instrumental piece originally composed by Mason Williams and backed by the legendary Wrecking Crew.
From the way he plays, it’s clear this is no easy song—but he makes it look effortless. His fingers fly across the strings, bringing the music to life with passion and precision. When the performance ended, I couldn’t help but want to give him a standing ovation.
Watch his extraordinary performance in the video below!