The Ellen DeGeneres Show is home to moving talent, young and old alike.
Ellen loves to host a wide variety of guests, including ordinary people with extraordinary talent.
When nine-year-old Umi Garrett was invited onto the show in 2011 for her virtuosic talent on the piano, she was no exception! This video begins when Garrett excitedly enters the talk show stage, eagerly waving and walking up to Ellen to give her a warm hug.
Her big eyes peer out from her tiny frame, complemented by a sweet smile as she candidly discusses her passion for playing the piano.
Umi admits that she started playing piano at four and a half years old, entering into an after-school program her preschool teacher had.
Eager to play and practice, Garrett also admits that her parents had to make “piano rules” for her.
Because she is ready to play as soon as she wakes up, her parents had to set a comfortable schedule so as not to annoy the neighbors! She admits to Ellen she’d play piano day and night if she could, revealing her paramount passion for music.
Not only does Garrett perform flawlessly for a nine-year-old, she’s so comfortable with the piano she’s able to play tricks on it!
She leads Ellen over to the piano to show her an amazing feat of talent.
Garrett approaches the piano and pushes in the bench.
With an innocent smile, she skillfully begins to play a very classical rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” on the piano—backwards and without looking!
The audience applauds her with delight. She goes on to present them with another trick. This time it’s the same song, but upside down!
While she dazzles the audience with some light-hearted yet skillful tricks, she makes the real impression when she sits down to play.
Garrett goes on to play “Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes)” by Franz Liszt. The piece is highly technical and quick, but her fingers dance effortlessly across the keys to deliver it. You can see the concentration in her face as she executes the piece flawlessly, an inspiring accomplishment for such a young player. As she finishes, the crowd melts into a symphony of claps and cheers.
Garrett has remained a devout student of the piano.
She has received critical and global acclaim for her poise and flawless playing. She recorded and released her first album at the age of nine, entitled Just For You. At only age 13, Garrett was given the title of the Young Steinway Artist, a very prestigious award reserved only for the best.
She has toured and performed countless times, relaying the greatest classical compositions with technique and grace.
The Winnipeg Free Press spoke of her proudly as well:
“In addition to displaying bravura technique, the young soloist also possesses an extraordinary musicality.”
Now in high school, she continues to work closely with teachers helping to refine her craft.
Huffington Post has called her a “budding musical genius,” and her amazing accolades continue to support and build her.
A wide variety of her performances can be found on her YouTube channel, UMIPIANO. She can be found across all social media platforms, as well as on her personal website. Her website has a list of event dates and CDs for purchase, including her most recent release from 2019.
Young Garrett’s memorable piano performance on Ellen has earned over five million views and 41,000 likes.
She continues to fiercely pursue her passion. Congratulations on your astonishing success, Umi!
Check out her moving talent in the video below!
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