In the Key of Genius: Derek Paravicini and Adam Ockelford at TEDxWarwick 2013
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- čas přidán 3. 04. 2013
- Born prematurely at just 25 weeks, Derek Paravicini has suffered from blindess, learning impairment and severe autism for his entire life. Despite his impairment, Derek has the unique gift of perfect pitch, and is able to play any piece of music after hearing it only once. In 2010, Derek was featured on Stan Lee's "Superhumans", whereupon tests verified his musical ability and confirmed his savantism. He began playing the piano at two, and subsequently attended the Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London. He met a piano instructor, Adam Ockelford, on his first visit to the school; recognising his genius, Adam began to teach him. Derek gave his first concert in South London aged seven. Adam is a Professor of Music at the University of Roehampton, the Chair of Soundabout, a charity supporting music provision for young people and founder of the AMBER Trust, supporting visually impaired children in their pursuit of music.
www.tedxwarwick.com
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations) - Hudba
i love that Adams is primarily speaking to Derek, not the audience.
Well observed. That could have easily have gone unnoticed.
I love 💕 this, too. It shows that he values and respects him, as a human being, too. And of course, Derek also can not 🚫 see 👀 a lot of the things, either. 😃❤️
@@mailmallett I mean it was quite obvious the 3rd time he said it lol
Came here to say this. I work in the world of learning disability and it doesn't happen anywhere near as much as you'd hope.
I had the privilege of teaching Derek jazz piano for a year whilst he attended the RNIB college at Redhill (UK). Whatever I played, he was able to play the same thing about a second behind me, which was extraordinary. I had to adopt some different teaching strategies from usual, but it was a rewarding experience for me to have helped in his development as a musician.
That's so amazing, thanks for sharing! I lived in Redhill for a bit as a teen
Thank you for helping Derek achieve his true potential. He has an amazing gift
@@johnwagg1538 Thanks John. As I said, it was a privilege and a pleasure to meet Derek and to teach him.
is there video of him playing jazz? like with a combo or big band or something
Out of curiosity can I ask, do you feel he has true creativity or just an amazing ability to hear and copy.
"You may think 13 hours is a long time to keep talking but Derek does it effortlessly"
Priceless.
The true price the teacher paid for his student's greatness.
My son is the same - can talk non stop for hours.
He has never seen a piano before, but he is so good at playing it
Not true!
Apart from Derek's jaw-dropping pianistic ability, the connection between these two men is a fine example of trust. Adam Ockelford's dedication to this relationship is inspirational . Thank you for the experience.
I noticed that as well. Clearly a special bond fostered over, quite literally, a life time. Such a beautiful thing.
Behind the genius musician you can see his genius teacher. Thank you Adam Ockelford.
+Nuriya Eroshkina... I agree wholeheartedly...A great teacher is something else and so important...Makes all the difference in the world
It's like the story of Helen and her teacher miss Sullivan
To: Labobo: This is what I thought about my financial planner! Always make sure he is from a reputable company so you can get a good replacement, not just an independent individual.
@@GreyArea619
Amazing you know gibberish .
Thanks for sharing !!!
Yup, he reccognized a golden goose and went all in.
You should see him isolate notes from a group of musicians playing together, and play them back. It's quite astounding - it's like he can see every note as an individual entity, and recognise them... each note as distinct as landmarks on a map, so he has no problem at all in separating even dozens of simultaneous notes on dozens of instruments.
I actually don’t see how it is even possible with perfect pitch.
Incredible but it’s more than perfect pitch by a long way.
Derek is amazing but his teacher is astounding. His love for Derek is awesome. Did anyone notice how many times he said his name? Amazing on all fronts
this is more than perfect pitch, its a combination of an insanely advanced memory of what he hears combined with the ability to multitask and single out sounds. perfect pitch is like seeing a color and knowing what the color is, with notes, but if shown multiple colors at the same time, consciously noting every single color at once and naming it in the brain is impossible. derek has the ability to observe multiple of these "colors" at the same time and remember them all at once
This is what pure unfiltered innocence sounds like. He's so humbling
The most amazing tbing I take from Derek's story is not Derek himself but rather Adam. Adam could have very well left Derek after he became famous and made gobs of money as this genius teacher. But no, he stayed on, threw all these years he has remained. He is probably one if Derek's closest friends and Derek relies on him. Adam sees this and loves Derek. What an example of selfless sacrifice!
Nanny made sure to tell Adam that he would be responsible for Derek musically.
I wouldn t call it a sacrifice but yeah he is a great man
Adam is doing something that's bigger than himself or even Derek and he knows that
Plus if this is how he became famous it would be in his interest to keep with it..also he's just a good guy!
i guess Im asking the wrong place but does someone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account?
I somehow lost my login password. I appreciate any help you can give me
People use the term “genius” for mediocre people and their abilities.
Derek is a true genius.
An extraordinary talent that is beyond explanation.
His abilities are not possible by regular human minds. Abilities that cant be taught
Not sure if I agree with anything you have said. Could you give an example or two of mediocre people who have been described as geniuses?
@@DDandrumsI can't think of a specific example but the term does get thrown around a fair bit. Quite often for sports or popstars etc.
@@DDandrumsSlash from guns n roses feels like a good example. People throw the term genius around lightly.
Once in a thousand years born a person like this... what a genius!
Here is a man who can reproduce any music he hears instantly. And here is the pathetic me, who forgets my glasses are at the top of my head.
I’d rather be able to count to ten and tie my shoes. Count your blessings .
Tht was rude sorry he is amazing
@@benpietrzykowski9216 why do you have to wear lace up shoes? Velcro is just as good
Don't wonder: I can not do this at the same time!
God had wired him wonderfully. He is complete.
Adam should be commended on his service to derek what a wonderful human being
Agreed.
I could not agree more, he should be recognized for the years of work that he had obviously dedicated to this very special man, I though the 13 hour flight thing was most telling, easy to laugh at but can you imagine that!!!!, he MUST love him very much
No question
Knighted, maybe?
I feel like there are not enough keys for Derek........he's remarkable, in every sense!
Mrssea Sea i feel like he doesnt have enough fingers to express his true ability in music
Exactly if they make a robotic hand capable to keep up with him he should get the first installation of the prosthetic.
@@Norsunkorvahe needs an electric keyboard setup with multiple boards stacked. That way he can play with synthesizers, pedals and wah-clavinets.
What this video doesn't show is the overwhelming standing ovation he got at the end. Just incredible.
Derek is actually a few months younger than his age because he was born prematurely. He isn't your typical sound recorder since he doesn't play the same pieces the same way each time like a concert pianist.
It's wonderful to hear someone play the piano at a high level. At the same time he isn't a Classical pianist. He would instantly Jazz up his pieces. Even the pieces he would play frequently, he comes up with different endings or different styles of playing each time.
The teacher is classy. No hype. Just Derek.
And to all the comments about lack of emotion: not all music has to be about great, romantic feelings, does it? Maybe it should just sometimes be allowed to be about fascinating design, irresistibly energetic rhythms and the math of great harmony. If he swayed with a contorted face and let delighted smiles and exclamations of joy escape his lips as he played, you wouldn't have missed it at all. But Derek's music is his own thing. It doesn't have to be about emotions like you feel them. I do know what you mean though, his music doesn't at all have the nuancing of a singing Chopin line. But I never felt Chopin get into my bones and make me jump quite like this, either. I am grateful for such a variety of pianistic voices in the world! Let them "showcase" him, as long as he's happy! His teacher is a decent assistant, no P. T. Barnum in him.
@Jose Luis Robles it's a love language for God. Every being, and creature that belongs to him hear the same Love song. That's why we, as humans, need to learn everyone's love language, and speak to them in a way they can understand. That will equal world peace. ✌🏽
He reproduces what he hears. If he hears a piece played with emotion he will play it exactly the same way, with every nuance and subtlety.
After this I realized that musicians are just practical mathematicians. And this one can really count his formulas. Beautiful improvisation.
I've always told people that music is math in notational form.
That’s not at all how we think of it though.
Theory is taught with math, but once you play, it changes to colors and emotions.
@@timharper4246 i have dyscalculia and I have just learnt to play the piano by ear, i have written songs for different occasions and even some music for some short films for my school.
@@maynardewmsays who?
Derek's "Chopsticks" is the most beautiful thing I've heard in a long time.
Crud Muffin
At what time of the video is that?
Pedro MR 17:00 I think
Yea, starts around 16:36....or shortly after
Crud Muffin his chopsticks sounds like the family guy theme
Outstanding virtuosity! This sadly proves that 75% of my brain must be loafing.
I love Derek so much, Knowing him in person is amazing, so kind and gentle and an absolute amazing musician. He can play absolutely anything.
Very true. It's a shame they didn't show one of the other talents he has, where he gets 3 notes from different people, and then a genre of music (say, bluegrass) and creates a completely new piece of music using that information. He is definitely not just a mimic!
Wow I'd love to see that!!!
Very informative. Good to know.
Got a video link or terms to search?
I just watched a documentary about a man who loses memory every 7 seconds and he used to be a conductor so his musical abilities are still there even when he forgets everything. It really makes you marvel at how inherent and intrinsic music is to human, it's almost primal.
is it fucked up that i want to play some of my favorite edm tracks to derek just to hear them replicated perfectly on piano? this dude would be a beast on twitch taking song requests
But the problem is...
He's blind.
@@sourlemon360 no the problem is...
@YouGotPwnd listens to EDM
@@randyaffleck8510 if u dont listen to any kind of house, pop or whatever music, then you can say this. but nowadays everything is created with a pc and therefore is edm. i dont know if you know it but edm has over 200 sub genres so pls dont think that edm = EDM
@@randyaffleck8510 If you don't listen to EDM then it means that you are lacking listening to EDM. There's good and bad music in every genre, and if you disagree, that means you're not listening to enough music.
Derek does do live request sessions on Facebook from time to time and is always asking us what people are requesting on his CZcams channel. He LOVES hearing requests and playing for other people. It always makes him really excited. Please feel free to make some suggestions on the channel!
Thank you Lord, for the nanny who introduced this young man to music. Love his story and his music.
The fact he can recall any musical piece with near perfect accuracy is astonishing, but his ability to create world class pieces while improvising is simply mind blowing. What a guy.
I dont know why but this made me cry. Those who can make music are so incredibly blessed.
You can make music too... you're probably too lazy to learn it thought and wanted to acquire it like if it's something you are born with it..
bristolstomp; disregard the other two people who commented; what your comment said to me was thoughtful.
bristolstomp not blessed. Determined. Well maybe a little blessed in Derek's case. He still had to develop physically.
I love him! For those of you who don't know, Derek has his own youtube page where he posts videos of himself playing people's requests! I couldn't believe it when he recorded a video playing a song I requested! Just search for Derek Paravicini.
makes me so happy
i hate that people would compare him to an ipod, even if it is just a nickname. words dont even describe what his ability is.
I love derek and have been a fan ever since I heard of him. he also highlights how much we still don't understand about the human brain
In another video i saw they measured the activity in dereks brain whilst he listened for mistakes in music pieces, and even though verbally he couldnt recognise if there was a mistake or not, his brain detected the error without failure. Makes you wonder
Conscious mind is a construct
Oh, interesting idea ·o· but I think (& this is just another thought) that more than not understanding, or in addition to, it's seeing what we're capable of if we just applied ourselves in work for/towards something ~
@@truthsings7 I could work my guts out for a thousand years and never be able to do this. This is a gift from God.
Derek plays anything on his own way, and everything sounds bright, light and perfect.
waki so true. He really swings!!
What amazes me most about Derek is that he not only knows so many pieces of so many kinds by heart, but that he can improvise on any of them. That is the most extraordinary thing about his brain and ability - he can do things that many other sighted pianists can't.
I loved his Improvisation of Chopsticks!
He came to my school today, AWESOME
Derek Paravicini is a joy to watch and to listen to.
I have no idea why this video isn't more popular. Absolutely amazing. Before I knew it the video was over.
john papple their busy with their ipods....
Matt Voole *they're
This man is amazing. He has Absolute Pitch, which means that he can play any corresponding note when he has only heard it once. He can even substitute the changing pitch of the train engine, as it accelerates, for piano notes! A true genius
Woah!!!
The secret is connecting the ear to the keyboard. Hearing the sound in your head and knowing where it is on the keyboard. The keyboard has 88 keys. There are 12 notes in a octave. The keyboard is a stack of octaves from lowest note to highest note. Derek had the time to become gifted. His time and technique are impeccable. And he loves it.
My first comment in youtube. Just wanna say, u are super amazing derek.. 👍👍👍
Let’s not deny the fact he looks like John Mayer. :) love hearing Derek play!
His variation on chopsticks is what really amazed me.
Derek is the greatest musical mind of this generation. No neurotypical person can hope to have half the understanding of music he has, even if they study music their entire life.
No truly great person in any area is neurotypical. Might seems that way on the surface but some part of their brain/ nervous system is unusual. Derek's an extreme example.
I disagree. Derek has huge talent, no argument there. But as an improvising musician and composer myself, and as someone who had the privilege of teaching Derek jazz piano for over a year whilst he was at RNIB College, Redhill, I know his abilities and his limitations.
Firstly, in music there is no 'geatest' - only 'greats.'
But compare Derek to Jacob Collier, or to Maria Schneider, or to Keith Jarrett, or Bill Evans, really they have an even greater compositional ability, more innovative and surprising ideas, than Derek.
He learns from their music, not the other way around.
This is by no means a criticism of Derek, just my feelings and observations.
Derek's Discipline and self control is really admirable
Oh my god his stride is amazing
It reminds me of dueling banjos. The teacher is not the guy you think it is. The 'teacher' just sits in awe.
He's a genius because he has spent countless hours, days and years practicing piano and playing piano. It took him a long time to master the ability to quickly find specific "sections" on the keyboard, since it is only touch and feel which tell him which octave set he needs to reach. If your finger lands as little as 3/16ths of an inch to the right or left of your target note, you will play a wrong note or worse, two dissonant notes. Derek has developed fantastic muscle memory in his fingers, arms and body in order to do this. His ears are only there to verify the correctness of the work his fingers, hands, arms and upper body are doing.
And what a kind, genius teacher Adam is!
It’s absurd to the highest degree that this video doesn’t have 20 million views. This is amazing.
Wow... I think that's legitimately now my favourite version of Bumblebee on piano... love the jazziness of it!
Look up Martha Stewart if you don't already know her 👍
For a blind person to have that audio/spatial recognition is amazing.
Only a non-musician would call this guy a human iPod. An iPod can only playback, it can't interpret a piece nor build upon it harmonically. There is definitely some degree of genius going on here. I get a feeling that this young man's approach just doesn't mesh with some people's idea of how music should be played or created.
Derek has more swing, subtle and sweet, than most pianists I've ever heard. He swing the classical pieces as well! He[s a beautiful player. I was already writing this when the video got to the part where the connection is made to Art Tatum. That made a lot of sense to me.
Timmothy Novack Too true. The way he interprets the music and plays it in his on way is truly unique.
As a piano player myself he is so much more then a human Ipod he isnt just using muscle memory or memorizing notes but understanding the tone and what sounds good with other notes, truly the order music creates and he knows how to truly maximize it.
The human brain never fails to amaze me.
I feel so fortunate to be alive at a time to share my existence with Derek.
Adam is just as much of a genius as Derek. What a good person, they're a great partnership! Keep up the good work Derek and thanks for your magic!
Derek is an absolute genius. As a musician myself I can only sit back and admire this absolutely amazing talent.
I was working in OC, md. And living in Pocomoke City doing laundry one summer and while waiting for my cloths the TV was on and a documentary came on with this gentleman playing piano. I loved every second of it.
Mind blowing!
I hear ya! im 26 i have cerebral palsy hydrocephalus and scoliosis people tend to look through us rather than at us sometimes it can be frustrating but hey what can ya do ya gotta be able to look at yourself and just laugh sometimes lol this guy is awesome I can play stuff by ear but im nowhere near this good you rock dude!
20 minutes is indeed far from long enough to appreciate Derek's genius, talent and creativity, but thank you for help bringing this treasure to flourish in our world!
Derek's last piece was incredible
Big fan of Derek! I consider him a gift to the world.
The human brain amazes me. And the way brain manifests through Derek's musical abilities is just fantastic. I found Derek on the internet when I was a teenager and I still swing by once in a while to listen him play.
I love how he swings every composition!
As a warwick student, i cant believe i missed going to this :( what a gift!
Superb Derek. God bless you
This just prove that the human mind has no limits, its ourselves who limit ourselves.
Awesome!
Many pianists practice and play in total darkness, in order to sharpen their touch skill and muscle memory ability. They also play in the dark to remove their visual input which soaks up over 93% of the brain's sensory incoming signals. This allows a player to hear more deeply his/her actual piano tone, and piano sound. It also allows the pianist to get an accurate idea of how well he/she is phrasing and how well the music is being interpreted and expressed. Derek lives in this dark world, so he is not distracted by the competition of visual input to the chagrin of his listening and touching skills. He is a very accomplished pianist, and a very accurate one.
jennifer86010 well said! You’re absolutely right. I started playing with my eyes closed at the age of six, recognizing intuitively the musical benefits. I think the only area that Derek’s musical expression is lacking is in expressing the light and dark, the shadows, the dappled sunlight that sight gives one. His playing has great facility but appears to by-pass the heart. This is the autistic part of his brain activity no doubt, whereas Art Tatum had all that in spades mind, body and soul together with the ability and facility to quote and weave snippets of classical compositions seamlessly into a witty, wise, wonderfully dazzling array of jazz, of pianistic skill that leaves one laughing at the brilliance and breathless at the energetic almost relaxed delivery. Oh, the magic and the mystery and the sacredness of music! Don’t you thank God you were given the gift too? It is the perfect gift! To be able to express one’s soul and it’s yearnings through composing and performing. ❤️🎶
wow, i have never heard of that before. i'm just too lazy to turn on the lights when it gets dark
@@AllIn1Studio What an absolutely brilliant and insightful response. THANKS!!!!!!!!
ayokay123 thank you! It was just my immediate response when I tried to put myself in Derek’s shoes! Lots of listening and playing over decades on planet earth!! Happy 2019 to you!
good idea...i need this..i need to change pitch freely
OMG, his Flight Of The Bumblebee rendition is the perfect combo of Rimsky-Korsikov's and Jack Fina's Bumble Boogie.!!!!
wow a crowd that waits until he's done playing to cheer. amazing
His improvisations are absolutely incredible.
This guy touched my heart.
I was just reading about Derek on pgs. 684-685 in "The Oxford Handbook of Music and the Brain". So here I am. What a beautiful soul! So happy to hear the music whilst conducting my research. Thank you Mr. Ockelford! ❤
I once saw him play outside of the Tape Modern in London! Absolutely incredible!
one of the most beautiful angels I have ever seen...
Truly remarkable young man. He's very inspiring and more than a musical genius Thank you Mr. Ockelford for being his life and musical mentor. Just amazing! Bravo Derek!!!
The audience clapping hands with him randomly not knowing it was part of the playing
Truly incredible! What a blessing to the world you are Derek.
Just because someone is disabled it doesn't mean he can't do anything to stand out. Everyone thinks that because he's blind he'll never play piano and he might never amount to anything, that proves anyone who thought that wrong.
This man is the role model of anyone who wants to achieve something.
If he can do it, anyone can!
Never give in!
Lady’s and gentlemen, the worlds greatest musician. Hands down. Bless you sir for you make this world an even more beautiful place.
Gosh don’t simplify things so unnecessarily. He’s not the best musician in the world. How would you even quantify something like that. Obviously he’s gifted but your statement is delusional.
Thank You Derek!
The speed of your fingers during Flight of the Bumblebee...
SIMPLY AMAZING!!!
amazingly beautiful. this man is a gift from God.
He is blind and has an autistic profile. This is what society defines as disabled. This does not prevent him from being a savant, from being more talented than any of us, from exceeding in his field.
In this sense there are no "real disabled people".
Just people that we, society, put aside because they are different, because we assume that they are not talented or cannot be savant.
And Derek is the proof that we are very stupid to do so !
The most AMAZING MUSICIAN I have ever HEARD! WOW!~ I've never heard such an amazing display of musical talent!
In the city where I live, Brasília (Brazil's capital), they are generally neglected and understimated when learning music. Fortunately that Mr. Ockelford is making a very fine work in UK. Congratulations to him and, above all, to Derek Paravicini!
He just can't realize how talented he is...
amazing
I am delighted to see how Derek's playing has developed over the years. His improvisation on themes using dynamics and expression sound more like finished compositions. It can't be easy for Adam and his teacher Kelly to guide such unbridled talent. They delight in his ability and yet have to reign him in and gently suggest changes when appropriate. He lives nearby but I haven't plucked up courage to knock on his door -it's not the way here. Maybe I'll send him my copy of Errol Garner to try out.
I've never seen anyone better
BRAVO Derek!
I wish this video was a gazillion times longer! I could watch him all day.
Derek's ability to orchestrate any and all notes into music on the piano is a gift I hope is not lost on deaf ears. He is a direct link with parts of the mind that we all have inside, yet cannot hear. When someone has the capability and capacity to animate a lifeless instrument, to give it a personality, a history, and a voice - that is when you have crossed the line from mortal to Mozart. My only wish is that he may be forever happy and fulfilled by the legacy he is creating with every outstanding performance.
Saki630 What a wonderful comment :)
Saki630 Well said. He is gifted despite and because of tragedy.
What I also enjoyed within this video was the genuine compassion of his mentor.For sure, this restores faith in humanity.
Theres so much goodness out there but its the bad in society that nearly always gets the headlines :(
PatricK WithaKay bravo
This may not sound right to others but someone born like this is the ideal musical prodigy, born with not as much of a mental capacity as others which may more or less clear his mind, as well as being blind to sharpen his hearing sense, the chance to be exposed to music at such a young age and develop it further at that young age as well as having the incredible ability of perfect pitch. He really is a true prodigy and I'm so impressed by his skills and talents that he has developed over so many years and hours.
Starting at such a young age is the only way to retain the natural ability of perfect pitch. Most people have permanently lost the ability before they are even two years old.
Not just the music, the touch is absolutely gold.
Now that's
a blessing.
The term GENIUS cannot begin to describe the abilities of this absolutely brilliant and breathtaking pianist/composer!
As demonstrated numerous times, suggest the tiniest anthill of ANY piece of music and he can/will INSTANTLY compose a musical mountain around it.
His changes in 'time' and 'tempo' are nothing short of astonishing; I could listen to him 'improv' ALL day long.....BRAVO, Derek!
I could get lost in watching Derek play all day! He's just amazing.
Born 3 and half months premature. Amazing
If this is the way he played Chopsticks, the rest of us would be back in Gr. 1 piano. Absolutely incredible improviser. Many of us playing even the simplest pieces would be glued to a piece of sheet music struggling to play 1 note at a time. Here we have someone who does everything in his head is just beyond comprehension...