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The boy who knew too much: a child prodigy

This is the true story of scientific child prodigy, and former baby genius, Ainan Celeste Cawley, written by his father. It is the true story, too, of his gifted brothers and of all the Cawley family. I write also of child prodigy and genius in general: what it is, and how it is so often neglected in the modern world. As a society, we so often fail those we should most hope to see succeed: our gifted children and the gifted adults they become. Site Copyright: Valentine Cawley, 2006 +

Monday, April 01, 2013

A child composer’s view on music.


Ainan has a curious view on music. For him, music is not what it is to most people.

A few months ago, he remarked: “Music is a hard science – since every note is affected by the history of all the other notes.”

I found this an interesting remark, in several ways. Firstly, Ainan clearly understands Music to be a Science and not an Art. He comes at it from a scientific perspective and tries to construct his music, as a composer, in a scientific fashion: he brings reason to it, not just taste (though I observe there is plenty of that, too). It is possible that this particular approach to music, will lead to Ainan’s music being different from that produced by those who believe music to be an Art (everyone else). I am curious as to where this unusual outlook on music will lead him. Then again, the second half of his remark, makes it clear that Ainan sees music as a whole: each piece of music is a large scale structure, in which all the component parts – the notes – are influenced by all their fellows and guided thereby. To me, this means that Ainan has a “big picture” outlook on the composition of music, allied to an attention to the smallest detail – how each note is affected by all the other notes. He is simultaneously observing the whole and the parts. This is suggestive, to my mind of a unified form of thinking – one that deploys left and right brain styles, simultaneously.

If anything were to distinguish Ainan from other composers, it would be in the degree of intelligence and insight he brings to bear on his compositions. He thinks very deeply about his music and considers every aspect carefully. Yet, at the same time, he manages to be very spontaneous in that the music emerges from him quite rapidly. His thoughtfulness is not encumbering. It does not stem the flow of music, as it might for some people. It helps him fashion it, as it comes, shape and form it.

Whether Ainan realizes it or not, he is composing with a musical philosophy in mind – which he has nicely encapsulated in that remark. I record this remark, therefore, as an early statement of his outlook on music, so that it might be available in recorded form, for later attention, when the outcome of his musical explorations is clearer, in years to come.

In the meantime, I shall continue to enjoy his ever flowing music, newly conceived in our home, on a daily basis.

Posted by Valentine Cawley

(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.

To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html and here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html

If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html

If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here:http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html

Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

My Internet Movie Database listing is at:http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/

Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/

Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.) 

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Music that will never be heard again


As some of you will know, this year, my eldest son, Ainan, just turned 13, has taken to composing music. He does so, now, on a daily basis, after coming home from University. He sits at the piano tinkling away. 

Sometimes he plays pieces he has already composed – usually recent ones, sometimes searching for ways to expand them, sometimes just enjoying them. On other occasions, he invents new compositions, directly on the piano, tinkering with them, until satisfied. At other times, he plays the music of others: Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, or music from video games, Bioshock, Portal 2, or movies, such as the Matrix. It is, however, a very frequent sound in our household now: Ainan on the piano, at work at something or other.

A couple of evenings ago, I was drowsy after a long day and half asleep, I heard the most beautiful sound: music I had never heard before, coming from our piano. I was really quite taken by its slightly haunting sound.

I woke up, fully and made my way through the house to Ainan.

“That is beautiful. Really good.” I said, to him, startling him from his reverie.

He seemed to be not quite fully in my presence when he caught my gaze. I realized then, that I had interrupted him, perhaps unwisely.

“Carry on.” I urged him. “It was good.”

His hands tracked back to the piano, and tried a few notes. He didn’t seem to know what to do in that moment.

“Play it again.”, I said, feeling perhaps, that I had made a mistake.

“I can’t.”, he said, a little sadly. “It was impromptu.”

“Did you record it?”

“No. I can’t record everything I do. There is just too much.”

I understood then, that, if I had not interrupted him, he would have learnt the piece, by continuing to work on it. My admiration in the moment, had cost us all, his musical work.

What a pity.

So, a couple of evenings ago, I heard a piece of music beautiful enough to arouse me from half-sleep, to full wakefulness; a piece of music that haunted and caught the attention in equal measure. Yet, now it was lost, because I praised it.

I am coming to think it would be wise if we could establish a set up that records everything he creates, so that this could never happen again. I shall look at the options. I would rather not have the privilege of hearing music that is only ever heard once, in the world. There is something too sad about that – especially when it was my fault.

Posted by Valentine Cawley

(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.

To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html and here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html

If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html

If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here:http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html

Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

My Internet Movie Database listing is at:http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/

Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/

Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.) 

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posted by Valentine Cawley @ 3:18 PM  3 comments

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