1.13.2006

Four-year-old Trumpet Prodigy

Saw a story about this little boy on the news a couple days ago... and the story blew me away.

Geoffrey Gallante is only 4-years-old but plays the trumpet like it is part of his cute little being. According to his parents, while they were visiting family, Geoffrey saw a trumpet on a table, picked it up and started blowing in it. He giggled and kept blowing in it because he thought it sounded funny. They took the trumpet home with them and he would just walk around the house playing it... so they found him a teacher (which wasn't easy). Then they tried to enroll him in a band camp... but it took a little convincing for people to take them seriously. Now, he's in jazz band (it looked like he was even sittin' in at a jazz club in the video) and his skill level, after only starting his journey eight months ago, has reached an eighth or ninth grade level.

From the package I saw on CBS, I really think this kid is a true prodigy. His parents were supportive, encouraging and seemed to be well grounded. They were very impressive. AND, Geoffrey genuinely seemed like a normal four year old who just happens to have a gift for playing the trumpet.

If you click to read the story, there is also an option to watch it in the right column of the page. If you're able to watch the clip, you'll see him playing on this high chair. His little feet just dangle from the chair while incrediblly adult, non-pitchy sounds are coming out of a little pocket trumpet... just the right size for his teeny hands. During the interview, the CBS reporter asked him to play "Mary had a Little Lamb" and he told her he wouldn't because that song is for "babies."

What a hoot!

Anyway, you got to read the whole story... it's a trip!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!!

Anonymous said...

I don't know how well grounded they are considering they let a 5 year old child be exposed to trash like Ellen Degenerate. They even let him be on her show. Bad influence. Very bad.