Akim camara
Encyclopedia
Akim Camara is a violin
ist who began playing at the age of two.
(maternal) descent.
School of Music. Akim was at this point still in diapers and speaking in unintelligible toddler gibberish yet he was remarkably able to remember music heard and the names of all orchestral instruments. Moved by his remarkable memory and natural "ear for music" Akim's teacher began instructing the toddler twice a week in 45 minute sessions. Akim participated enthusiastically and, due in part to his remarkable memory, the toddler was learning unbelievably fast. After six months of this fairly light training regimen little Akim had his debut performance in December 2003 at the age of two in a Christmas
concert "Schneefloeckchen, Weissroeckchen" put on by the Marzahn-Hellersdorf
School of Music.
Birgit Thiele and the music school principal, Gudrun Mueller, messaged Andre Rieu
, the celebrity Dutch
violinist, regarding Akim's prodigious talent through his website. Rieu responded swiftly. He sent a camera crew to Berlin to film little Akim on the violin. What he saw astounded him. He hastily took action and invited the parents and grandmother of the boy to his studio in Kerkrade
, Netherlands
along with Akim. Three year old Akim's performance at the studio was apparently so impressive that it left all of the orchestra members in astonishment and disbelief.
Within two weeks little Akim was performing with Rieu in concert at Kerkrade's Parkstad Limburg Stadion
filled to near max capacity with an audience of 18,000 people on a toddler-size violin and wearing a tiny custom-made concert tuxedo and dress shoes. After amusing the crowd with a "water trick" toddler Akim then performed Ferdinand Kuchler
's violin concertino in G, opus 11 followed by a brief encore performance. Akim exited stage right after two massive standing ovations and roaring cheers.
Following the success of Akim's performance the little boy had to be essentially hidden from the public eye as many German television stations began pursuing him for appearances. Rieu took the toddler under his wing, so to speak, paying for his musical lessons on both violin
and piano
and overseeing his instruction (both musical and otherwise) so that Akim will remain "a nice boy" and not become "an insufferable child prodigy
" as Rieu fears would be a possibility without his influence.
With his uncanny ability to memorize a musical piece after hearing it only once or twice, Akim's talent developed rapidly and his youthful enthusiasm and passion for the violin only grew. After an interview and appearance on a Danish TV show the young prodigy performed once again with Andre Rieu. This time Akim was performing a more complex piece, Felix Mendelssohn
's Dance of the Fairies and at New York City
's Radio City Music Hall
, and with an appropriately bigger violin. He also sang "Pie Jesu
" with Carla Maffioletti
.
Akim has since performed on television with the likes of Wolfgang Fischer
and Richard Clayderman
.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist who began playing at the age of two.
Early life
Akim is a biracial child of mixed African (paternal) and GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
(maternal) descent.
Music career
At only two years of age Akim took up violin lessons under instructor Birgit Thiele at the Marzahn-HellersdorfMarzahn-Hellersdorf
Marzahn-Hellersdorf is the tenth borough of Berlin, formed in 2001 by merging the former boroughs of Marzahn and Hellersdorf.-Geography:It is situated in the northeast of Berlin...
School of Music. Akim was at this point still in diapers and speaking in unintelligible toddler gibberish yet he was remarkably able to remember music heard and the names of all orchestral instruments. Moved by his remarkable memory and natural "ear for music" Akim's teacher began instructing the toddler twice a week in 45 minute sessions. Akim participated enthusiastically and, due in part to his remarkable memory, the toddler was learning unbelievably fast. After six months of this fairly light training regimen little Akim had his debut performance in December 2003 at the age of two in a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
concert "Schneefloeckchen, Weissroeckchen" put on by the Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Marzahn-Hellersdorf is the tenth borough of Berlin, formed in 2001 by merging the former boroughs of Marzahn and Hellersdorf.-Geography:It is situated in the northeast of Berlin...
School of Music.
Birgit Thiele and the music school principal, Gudrun Mueller, messaged Andre Rieu
André Rieu
André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...
, the celebrity Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
violinist, regarding Akim's prodigious talent through his website. Rieu responded swiftly. He sent a camera crew to Berlin to film little Akim on the violin. What he saw astounded him. He hastily took action and invited the parents and grandmother of the boy to his studio in Kerkrade
Kerkrade
Kerkrade is a town and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.It is the western half of the divided region and de facto city, taken together with the eastern half, the German town of Herzogenrath...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
along with Akim. Three year old Akim's performance at the studio was apparently so impressive that it left all of the orchestra members in astonishment and disbelief.
Within two weeks little Akim was performing with Rieu in concert at Kerkrade's Parkstad Limburg Stadion
Parkstad Limburg Stadion
The Parkstad Limburg Stadion is a football stadium in Kerkrade, completed in 2000. With a present day capacity of 19.979 seats, the stadium was officially openend on August 15, 2000 with a friendly between Roda JC and Real Zaragoza ....
filled to near max capacity with an audience of 18,000 people on a toddler-size violin and wearing a tiny custom-made concert tuxedo and dress shoes. After amusing the crowd with a "water trick" toddler Akim then performed Ferdinand Kuchler
Ferdinand Küchler
Ferdinand Küchler was a German violinist and violist, renowned violin pedagogue, and composer of instructive violin music.-Life and work:...
's violin concertino in G, opus 11 followed by a brief encore performance. Akim exited stage right after two massive standing ovations and roaring cheers.
Following the success of Akim's performance the little boy had to be essentially hidden from the public eye as many German television stations began pursuing him for appearances. Rieu took the toddler under his wing, so to speak, paying for his musical lessons on both violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and overseeing his instruction (both musical and otherwise) so that Akim will remain "a nice boy" and not become "an insufferable child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
" as Rieu fears would be a possibility without his influence.
With his uncanny ability to memorize a musical piece after hearing it only once or twice, Akim's talent developed rapidly and his youthful enthusiasm and passion for the violin only grew. After an interview and appearance on a Danish TV show the young prodigy performed once again with Andre Rieu. This time Akim was performing a more complex piece, Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
's Dance of the Fairies and at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
, and with an appropriately bigger violin. He also sang "Pie Jesu
Pie Jesu
Pie Jesu is a motet derived from the final couplet of the Dies irae and often included in musical settings of the Requiem Mass. The settings of the Requiem Mass by Luigi Cherubini, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Duruflé, John Rutter, Karl Jenkins and Fredrik Sixten include a Pie Jesu as an independent...
" with Carla Maffioletti
Carla Maffioletti
Carla Maffioletti is a Brazilian opera singer.She was born in the largest city in southern Brazil; a port town on Guaíba River. As a very young girl she began playing the violin before changing to classical guitar. Her talents were such that by her early teens she was performing at concerts...
.
Akim has since performed on television with the likes of Wolfgang Fischer
Wolfgang Fischer
Wolfgang Fischer was a German career military officer and panzer commander in World War II. He was killed on 1 February 1943 in Tunisia near Mareth when his staff car drove into a poorly marked Italian minefield and hit a mine.-Awards:* Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class* Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd...
and Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman
Richard Clayderman is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville and Olivier Toussaint, instrumental renditions of popular music, rearrangements of movie soundtracks, ethnic music, and easy-listening arrangements of most popular works of...
.