Jay Greenberg: The composing prodigy compared to Mozart at 12
Jay 'Bluejay' Greenberg was writing fully orchestrated symphonies as a young boy and entered Juilliard's pre-college program at age 10.
Early Life and the Spark
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1991, Jay Greenberg began drawing instruments and notating music as a toddler, before he could fully read. He entered the Juilliard School's pre-college division in 2002 at age 10, studying composition with Samuel Zyman.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Breakthrough
In November 2004, when he was 12, Greenberg was profiled on the CBS News program '60 Minutes,' where his teacher compared his compositional gifts to those of Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Saint-Saëns. By that age he had reportedly already written five symphonies.
Major Contributions
Sony Classical released a recording of his Symphony No. 5 and String Quintet, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and members of the Juilliard String Quartet — a rare honor for so young a composer. He composes primarily using music-notation software, often working at remarkable speed.
Recognition and Honors
- Juilliard pre-college admission at age 10
- Symphony No. 5 recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra
- National profile on '60 Minutes' (2004)
Legacy
Jay Greenberg became one of the most discussed composing prodigies of the early 21st century, reviving the centuries-old fascination with the child who seems to hear fully formed music in his head.
Achievements
- Entered Juilliard pre-college at age 10
- Reportedly wrote five symphonies by age 12
- Symphony No. 5 recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra (Sony Classical)
- Profiled on CBS '60 Minutes' at 12
