The Voice of the Piano
August 8, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
“[T]he music became a language. When he was little it was his first language,” says Adam Ockelford of his student, 27-year-old Derek Paravicini. Paravicini is autistic and has been blind since birth; he learned music before he could speak. According to an article in today’s icSurreyOnline.uk.co, he was able to play “a huge array of pieces” by the time he was four years old. Pacavini will be featured in a documentary entitled “Extraordinary People” in September.
The article, Autistic and blind – but Derek is a piano genius, also notes that music is how Pacavini has learned to express himself. The tones coming from the keys via his hands are sounds with meaning, like language: As I was helping Charlie to practice the piano before going to school this morning, I was thinking of how the piano might be a powerful medium for my own son to express himself with—-an “augmentative communication device” with sounds all of its own.
Go Autistic and blind – but Derek is a piano genius.
