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8-year-old will perform today for Chaldean charity group

By GENA JOHNSON
Special to The Oakland Press

Published: Saturday, March 21, 2009

Ethan Bortnick of Hollywood, Fla., begged his parents for piano lessons when he was still in diapers. Now he’s appeared on national television shows and performed with stars such as Josh Groban and The Pointer Sisters.

WEST BLOOMFIELD TWP. – Eight-year-old piano prodigy Ethan Bortnick will perform today at the Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield Township to benefit the Chaldean Federation of America, a nonprofit organization helping Christians displaced in and outside Iraq.

“We want to help a lot of families that don’t have homes,” Ethan said.

Ethan has made television appearances on “Oprah,” “The Tonight Show,” “Good Morning America” and “The Martha Stewart Show.” He has performed all over the country, with many formidable singers and musicians — including Beyoncé, Josh Groban, Santana, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, Gloria Gaynor, The Pointer Sisters and Patti LaBelle.

Having performed with such a diverse group of entertainers from various music genres, Ethan does not have a favorite entertainer or type of music.

“I like all the people I have performed with,” he said. “I like classical, jazz and pop music. I like all kinds of music.”

In addition to being a musician, Ethan is a composer who scored 30 original pieces and plays more than 200 compositions by memory. “Arctic Jazz” is one of his favorite original compositions.

“It is jazzy and very cool,” he said.

Ethan says he started to play the piano at 3 years old by watching “Baby Einstein” videos and mimicking the auto player on his toy keyboard.

“I was begging my parents for piano lessons and they said, ‘No, you are still in diapers,’” he said.

His parents eventually relented, and for Ethan’s fourth birthday gave him piano lessons.

When this child prodigy is not playing the piano or traveling to show dates, he is in the second grade in Hollywood, Fla., where he enjoys math, playing with his younger brother, cousin and friends.

FYI

The fundraiser starts at 6 p.m. with cocktails, followed by a program at 7 p.m. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m. with Ethan’s concert immediately following. Tickets are $250 each or $2,000 for a table of 10; call (248) 851-3023. For more information, contact the Shenandoah Country Club, 5600 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, (248) 683-6363 or visit the Chaldean Federation of America, www.chaldeanfederation.org.