![]() ![]() With Gillian’s help, he improved his presentation by curbing his reliance on cigarettes, chewing gum, and coffee while performing. In the same year, he performed a comeback concert at the Octagon Theatre at the University of Western Australia. ![]() In 1984, he married an astrologer named Gillian. He would swim for hours before performing in order to relax. Helfgott became a popular piano player at a Perth restaurant in 1983. His illness was not clearly diagnosed-his medical records were sketchy, and Helfgott had trouble remembering the period. Helfgott suffered nervous breakdowns during the 1970s and spent most of the decade institutionalized, his caretakers often banishing him from the piano for fear of overexcitement. 3-often nicknamed Rach 3-earned a standing ovation. His 1969 performance of Rachmaninoff’s difficult Piano Concerto No. He flourished under the tutelage of renowned pianist Cyril Smith and received the Hopkinson Silver Medal from Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Devastated, David began withdrawing from people.Īgainst his father’s wishes, David accepted a scholarship to London’s Royal College of Music in 1966. His father, however, forbade David to go, claiming it would destroy the family. The offer attracted media attention, and the community rallied to establish an educational fund for him. In 1961, visiting musician Isaac Stern suggested David study in America. At age 12, David was the youngest contestant to enter the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Western Australia State Concerto and Vocal Competition, a contest he won six times during his life. David had many mentors through the years, including Madame Alice Carrard, a former student of Béla Bartók. His father reluctantly realized David needed better training and sought instructors willing to work for free. The piano began rolling as he performed, but the focused youth stood up and followed it without missing a beat. Peter desperately wanted David to achieve greatness and made having a piano a top priority even when the family was nearing poverty.ĭavid played publicly at age 9, performing Chopin at a country festival. He began playing piano at about the age of 4 under the direction of his father, Peter, a strict disciplinarian whose own father had not allowed him to pursue his musical interests. Helfgott was born in May 1947 in Melbourne, Australia, and his family later moved to Perth. He later returned to the stage and gained international fame. Australian pianist David Helfgott was a child prodigy stricken by mental illness during his 20s. ![]()
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