The signs of a child musician

There are many ways that a child can tell you who they are, by what they do. Even if they are very young, their actions point the way to their inner nature.

In the past couple of months, Tiarnan has taken to interacting with the computer in an individual way. Though he sometimes sits and watches the screen while playing with the keyboard, to get it to do things, he does something else, which is more telling. He ignores the computer, on many occasions that he comes into the computer room and instead plays with the printer/fax/scanner. There is a keypad on it. When a number is pressed a tone sounds. It is this that draws his attention. He plays the keys in sequences of his own choosing and smiles at the sounds it makes. He looks up at me, as he does so, as if to say: "This is what I want."

Tiarnan turns the printer into a musical instrument. He tinkles with the piano too, with an intent look on his face, as he does. He picks the keys out individually, attending to the note each makes. Here, I think, is a child who wants to be a musician.

I know he is young - he is just 24 months old - but it seems from the way he interacts with the world that we shall have to do something about his music before long. My main worry is not his interest - but in the size of his toddler hands. It may be sometime before his hands are large enough to allow him to do what his heart - and ear - bids him. We shall see how long we have to wait.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and one month, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and seven months, and Tiarnan, two years exactly, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)