When Derek Paravacini, 32, played his concerto in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall Wednesday night, he knew the piece by heart — and all the parts for each instrument in the orchestra, about 45 in all.
But Paravacini has never looked at a single piece of music. He learned the concerto after hearing a computer play it a few times.
“There must be 10,000 notes, and he’s got it all in his head,” said Adam Ockelford, a music professor and Paravacini’s mentor. “It’s amazing.”
Paravacini is severely autistic and has been blind since birth. He is also a musical savant. He can play just about any song, from Bach to Britney Spears, after hearing it just once.
The concerto Paravacini played Wednesday night was written specifically for him by Matthew King, who met Paravacini a few years ago and was inspired by his abilities.
“He’s not like any other musician I’ve ever worked with,” King said. “I think music is almost like a substitute for language. He’s spent his whole life communicating through music.”
Paravacini’s talents showed up early. At age 2, he began teaching himself to play the piano, listening to jazz tunes and old standards and playing them back by ear. When Paravacini was 5 years old, he met Ockelford, then a music teacher at Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London.
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