A reaction to Ainan’s musical compositions.

A couple of days ago, we had a visitor to our house. He was there for a very specific reason: to listen to Ainan’s musical compositions.

Now, I cannot reveal why our visitor was interested in hearing Ainan’s musical compositions, just yet, but I can say this: our visitor had spent five years of his life at a music school, though he was now in another creative profession.

He listened most attentively to Ainan’s pieces as I played him recordings. 

"This is the first piece he ever composed.", I noted. 

There seemed about him, a little surprise.

I played him the second piece.

“I like that one.”, he remarked, “Very suitable.”, for what he had in mind.

“That’s very interesting.”, he observed of another.

“A good piece...but not for this project.”, he said of a fourth. There were others, too.

Then Ainan took to playing him some pieces on the piano.

Our guest watched him most intently. “How long has he been learning the piano?”

“He taught himself, six months ago.”

He considered this for a moment. “It is amazing how fast he has picked it up.”

Ainan, 12, played on, piece after piece...all from memory. Some of the pieces were his own compositions, others, as is his wont, were pieces he had heard in the course of his life – the Matrix theme tune, a couple of the pieces from the game Portal 2 and Bioshock.

At the end of the display our guest had decided to work with Ainan on a forthcoming project. He was most pleased with Ainan’s compositions.

I will let you know, when I am free to do so, just what Ainan will be doing, musically. Personally, I was very happy to hear that our musical guest liked Ainan’s music. It is the first time we have allowed Ainan’s work to be heard by a musically informed outsider – so his appreciation means a lot to us. It is the first “nod” from the musical profession that Ainan really has something going for him, in this area. That, in itself, is a bit of a surprising development considering that he is primarily a scientist – but then, again, Einstein was a passable violinist and Leonardo da Vinci was a composer who could play any stringed instrument, though I believe the lute was his primary one. Thus, musicality has been found allied to scientific gift in the past, too.

One of my greatest pleasures, now, is listening to Ainan play his compositions, on the piano. His is my favourite music. Perhaps, one day, it will be other people’s favourite too. We shall see.

Posted by Valentine Cawley

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An understanding of music in young children.

What can young children see in music? Are they able to understand it? Well, Fintan seems to.

Recently, Fintan got to hear West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein. We didn't tell him anything about it but just let him listen. His remarks proved to be very interesting.

At one point, he suddenly perked up: “Are they fighting? I can hear them fighting.", he said, excitedly, as if, oddly, people were actually fighting, in front of him, for real.

A few minutes later the music changed and so did Fintan's response. "Are they dead?”, he asked, interestedly and respectfully.

As anyone who knows the story of West Side, would know, Fintan's remarks were very apt to the music. It was good to hear this five year old understand the story behind the music, from the music alone.

Later on, in reflection on the music, he observed: “The Bernstein is like cat and jerry…chasing.”

He meant, Tom and Jerry - the ever chasing animals, in the cartoon.

Again, that is an accurate description of the music and of the story behind it - for it is the tale of two gangs and their rivalry.

It was a rare opportunity for Fintan to hear such music - but given his enthusiastic response, perhaps we should try to ensure that such rare events are more common in future. We would, no doubt, get to hear more interpretations of the musical "stories" from him.

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