The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies

In the first half, the four prodigies each played the first movement of a well-known concerto with a maturity that belied their years - although it must be said that all have been playing for most of their young lives (the programme note informing us that cellist Nathan Chan made his first performance as a conductor at the age of three seemed so unlikely as to be laughable. Especially since it was the San Jose Chamber Orchestra benefiting from his conducting, not a playgroup tambourine and rattle ensemble).

Pianist Zhang Xiaoming is just 10 and is thought to have been enjoying not only his first trip outside China but also outside his home city of Shanghai. Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 2 was delivered with masterly aplomb.

Michael Province, just 13, hails from Florida and has been on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
He blew us away with Mendelssohn's tear-jerker of a Violin Concerto, the seeming effortlessness of his performance underlined by an occasional mischievous smile and his unselfconscious rocking from foot to foot. This, the body language was telling us, comes as naturally as breathing.

Simone Porter, aged 12, gave us Haydn's Violin Concerto in C major. Based in Seattle, she flies every week to LA for music lessons. It seemed right that she was wearing a long green dress for she was as cool as a cucumber, though graceful with it.

Nathan Chan, who is 15, appeared in a white tux. Mr Cool! He made his debut recently with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and performed on a Roberta Flack album, standing in for the celebrated Yo Yo Ma.

This is a kid you would trust to fly a plane but a touch of humour manifested itself during the long ovation - following his spirited take on the Dvorak Cello Concerto - when he pointed to his cello and tipped it forward in a bow.

These four were the result of a worldwide trawl for young talent. The process and the concert are the subject of a three-part TV series being made by RDF Television for Channel 4 - which you must not miss!

Heading the talent search was another prodigy, 16-year-old Alexander Prior. Tall and rangy (British father, Russian mother), Alexander conducted at Thursday night's concert and the second half was given over to the world premiere - the 30th performed at The Sage Gateshead - of his own new composition, Concerto for Piano, two Violins, Cello and Orchestra, 'Velesslavitsa'.

I promise that you will not hear a more exciting, invigorating work of classical music anywhere. Brilliantly performed by the young soloists (and with foot rocking and smiles from Master Province), this was music of passion - a David Lean score crossed with Tchaikovsky in 1812 mode. If you've got drums on stage, why skimp? I bet Northern Sinfonia timpanist Alan Fearon hasn't had so much fun in ages.

At the final note, the audience was on its feet. It's a vulgar word - but gobsmacked we were!

All these youngsters had been staying at Eshott Hall in Northumberland to prepare for the concert. Michael, apparently, was freaked by a sheep. He'd never seen one before! Young Master Chan, on his first trip to the UK, cast aspersions on our weather but said he'd had a great time.

The thing about all these youngsters is that they were so nice. Afterwards Simone was keener to talk to us about her dog, Olivia, than her violin. Olivia once ate a whole box of chocolate truffles, the rascal. The young man from Shanghai, who until recently spoke no English, signed our programme 'Jack' before returning to his glass of Cola.
The World's Greatest Musical Prodigies starts at 9pm on June 8 on Channel 4. It promises to be great television - and a great accolade for The Sage Gateshead, Eshott Hall and the North East.

(A review by our classical music critic, Thomas Hall, will appear in The Journal on Saturday)