Lewes Old Grammar School (LOGS) pupil Talee Vergel de Dios only began playing the instrument last year but her progress left her family “flabbergasted”.
The 11-year-old’s father, Paul, said: “Talee used to watch her grandmother play and when she was ten told us that she would really like to start taking lessons. Very soon, she was racing ahead and now she surprises us on a weekly basis. She is so passionate about playing.”
He said it was particularly surprising as neither he and her mother Helen “could play a night”.
Paul said: “We could never have imagined Talee would develop such a skill and love for music. She has only just started taking grades but races through the music and scales. She takes one every couple of months now and always gets distinctions.”
While visiting her grandmother Adelita in Orlando, Talee’s family visited the Steinway Piano Gallery and the young musician sat down to play on one of the store’s instruments.
The shop’s manager overheard her performance and asked how old she was and how long she had been playing.
He was so impressed that he asked her to be a part of Steinway promotions. When her parents Helen and Paul explained they lived in the UK, he advised them to enrol her in the All Steinway piano camp which is held annually at the University of Central Florida Performing Arts School.
She is now set to attend the camp this June.
The manager also asked her to join the Steinway Youth competition in Manila, which she will compete in May next year
Talee, who practises for two hours every day after school, said: “There’s something about sitting down and playing that I just love.
“It helps me express my feelings and can change my mood, especially when I play Chopin who is 100 per cent my favourite composer. I sometimes feel sad that I didn’t start playing sooner because it makes me feel so happy.”
Talee’s latest invitation to play has come from the well-known keyboard museum-turned-piano school Finchcocks in Kent.
The youngster and her parents visited the house to look at the old instruments but when she played on one of them, stunned owners immediately invited her to go back and perform in July.
More links to the story:
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/17604000.school-girl-asked-to-play-piano-all-over-the-world/
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