60 Minutes - Rex the 10YO blind musical savant

[KurtNYC]

They did a follow up last night to a story they did 2 years back. I don't think I saw the original but was just hooked by this one.

It was just fascinating to see what the mind is capable. Makes me wonder what kind of abilities most people have that just go undeveloped. Also, one more testament to the incredible power that music has.

Rex Lewis-Clack was born with an array of problems so extreme it looked as though he might never walk, talk, or do much of anything. And yet he has a talent the rest of us can only dream of.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/25/60minutes/main575161.shtml

[WritingIsMyReligion]

1. I SAW that last night on "60 Minutes."

I was eating my heart out--not that I want to be blind or any of that, but that I want to be able to PLAY like that. And that 24 y/o British man (Derek?) who was the same way--only even MORE talented at the keys! He played "Fur Elise" in a "Russian Dance" style without even blinking.

:wow:

[Rob H.]

9. I caught that, too

Leslie also asked him to play a melody with his left hand rather than his right, and not only did he play accompaniment with his three middle fingers, he played the tune with his thumb and the melody with his pinky. Even his teacher didn't know he could do that! Just amazing.

[lizziegrace]

2. I caught a few minutes of it

It was interesting that he could play all the notes, but when asked how many notes the interviewer (can't remember who...) just played, he said one.

The mind is truly amazing.

[IDemo]

3. We saw this as well, but I have a question,

not one that may yet be definitively answered, perhaps, but,, is it just possible that by focusing such a child's energy strictly on the one area that he/she has shown aptitude, that it might result in other social skills (or mental capacity in general) being left underdeveloped? I understand that music is a multidimensional thing which can yield tremendous personal growth and satisfaction. But in the 60 Minutes story, it was stated that the young boy probably related to his 12 year old piano playing companion for her musical responses to his playing, and nothing else.

-not a doctor, but wondering..

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. You seem to imply that the focus on music is in a way a cause of the

autism.

Usually severe autistics relate very poorly to others, don't seem to have the same emotional need for companionship as most of us.

It seems more that whatever the issue causing the autism is what allows the focus on a particular area like music or numbers, etc.

[IDemo]

5. No, I don't believe I implied that

I only meant to question whether focusing on the savant's gifted side can result in the exclusion of the development of other areas of the brain/mind. There were two advanced music instructors hired to work with Rex, apparently with some good results. But wouldn't spreading the tutoring out a bit to include more social interaction be better for him in the long run?

[IDemo]

6. Here's an example from my own life

My S.O. was a reading tutor at a local elementary school a couple years ago. One of the kids in the second grade class she worked in was autistic. He was largely isolated from the rest of the class, kept to himself during recess, and contented himself with picking up gravel off the playgound and studying it intently. My partner was told not to bother attempting to read with Adam because it would be a wasted effort.

Despite that, one day she did ask Adam if he would like to read with her, and he said yes. The daily reading session soon became a tradition. He sat with her under a shade tree near the playground and worked with her on his reading. His reading skill was awkward but showed improvement with time.

She was later told by the teacher and a social worker who worked with Adam that his attention in class and interaction with other students had increased noticeably after this. Maybe this was at least partially due to her decision to ignore the prevailing advice and offer him some attention?

[KurtNYC]

7. Interesting

I was struck by Rex's musical ability but did question the under current in the piece. At one point, someone, one of the instrutors I think, was asked about what happens when Rex is older. And his answer was that he was trying to give Rex the ability to compete when he reaches an age where the novelty and cuteness of child playing complex stuff wears off. And then they close the piece showing Rex playing for $$$ in Japan. And that lead me to wonder about the choices that were being made for him. The financial incentive was on the side of: get these tutors and develop Rex's musical ability because that is what people will pay to see. The option less explored was along the lines of what you shared -- getting, at least trying, Rex to be more independent and social adept. Hopefully both courses of action are being pursued and touring and performing are giving him an atmosphere that challenges him to be all he can be.

[LaraMN]

8. My friend corresponds with the man who runs the Savant academy,

as she has a daughter who is blind and has mental impairments, but has perfect pitch. It's fascinating. I used information from the academy for a research paper I wrote on arts education for the disabled. Some of these people have such amazing abilities, it really causes a person to pause and consider the seemingly boundless limits of the human brain.

[Ezlivin]

10. Who wants to be superhuman?

Imagine if each of us had these perfectly human gifts. One thing that savants show us is the incredible range of the human brain.

If each of us could unlock all of the brain's gifts, what a world it would be.

Could you imagine having the memory of a "Rain Man", the musical genius of Derek, the math skills and language skills of other savants? You would not be superhuman, but you would be a super human.