GAVIN GEORGE: My name is Gavin and I am 9 years old.
MARY CRAIG POWELL: Gavin is incredibly gifted, he is a prodigy among prodigies.
He loves Star Wars, he likes legos.
I mean he's such a real kid, but his gift is so beautiful.
MARY GEORGE: There just aren't enough hours in the day for him to learn all the pieces
that he wants to learn
MARY CRAIG POWELL: D, d,d,d,d,d,d, gradually slow it down…..
Gavin is going to go to Washington D.C. to play a concert at Constitution hall for the
Daughters of the American Revolution, and he is going to play some of the most difficult
music ever written.
MARY GEORGE: Music since at a young age has been a passion for Gavin.
It's in his mind all the time, and its a part of who he is.
Gavin is music.
GAVIN GEORGE: One Christmas my mom got a music DVD, and I really fell in love with it.
I was just like conducting and dancing and jumping on the couch.
MARY GEORGE: We just let him watch it for a while, and it was probably about a half
year later that we decided to start formal training at the piano.
GAVIN GEORGE: My uncle gave me his baby grand piano which was very nice so I could practice
on this.
MARY GEORGE (archival): Say hello GAVIN GEORGE (archival): Hello
MARY GEORGE: He was delighted with the piano, and took rapidly to it as soon as he started
lessons.
He was enthralled with it.
ERIC GEORGE: When I was a little kid, you see a piano, you kinda just bang on it.
He would just press the keys, lightly, and I kinda just think it meshed up to I think
the wiring in his ears.
MARY GEORGE (archival): Bravo!
MARY CRAIG POWELL: I took Gavin as student when he was 5, and he was playing quite well
then, but his way of progress is tremendous.
He has just grown by leaps and bounds.
Each month it seems like he's progressed another year….. (verite)Okay good left hand alone
for a minute.
ERIC GEORGE: He's got just a wicked talent for music, but for me he's just a little boy.
He's very precocious but he's just a boy at heart.
GAVIN GEORGE: I really like playing with my brother Max.
He just turned 6.
We like fighting light sabers a lot.
MARY GEORGE: They're Ying and Yang.
Max is a type B, fun loving go get em, and Gavin is a little more serious and together
they're just the best of friends.
GAVIN GEORGE: This is the classroom where we do our school.
MARY CRAIG POWELL: Gavin is special in more ways than just his talent.
Intellectually he is so bright.
MARY GEORGE: Gavin began reading when he was about two and a half and he has a voracious
appetite about learning.
MARY CRAIG POWELL: Gavin's mother has masters degree in gifted child education, and she
gave up her job to be with Gavin.
MARY GEORGE: We hadn't planned on home schooling but when the time came, Gavin really was such
a precocious learner from such an early age that we decided academically it would be best.
MARY GEORGE: From a young age he's been very sensitive.
He feels emotions, I think deeper than a lot of people.
I really think that playing music allows him to express them
GAVIN GEORGE: One reason I love playing the piano, is just because when I play it it makes
me happy and then I know it makes other people happy.
GAVIN GEORGE: I practice once in the morning, once in the
afternoon, and once in the evening.
MARY CRAIG POWELL: For the Washington D.C. event we are playing a group of very technically
difficult pieces.
GAVIN GEORGE: The moskowski (not sure) I like because it is a challenge in the left hand
part (not sure) and I love challenging, it's really fast.
MARY CRAIG POWELL: Gavin has an amazing memory he can learn those notes just about overnight.
GAVIN GEORGE: Once I've memorized a song it's just in my head, I know the thing, I don't
have to remember notes.
MARY GEORGE: One of our big challenges is deciding what opportunities to take for Gavin.
That will still help him develop, that will inspire him, but won't overburden him and
allow him the time to still be a child.
GAVIN GEORGE: I get a little nervous before I play the piano for a big concert, but then
once I start playing it, it's just me and the piano.
PA announcer: And now I am delighted to introduce tonights entertainment.
He traveled from his home in Ohio to be with us tonight, after a whirlwind spring of performing
around the country, please welcome Gavin George.
ERIC GEORGE: Even from a very young age you'd ask him "What do you want to be?"
and he say "I want to be the worlds best concert pianist."
MARY CRAIG POWELL: I suspect he's going to be a major world talent.
GAVIN GEORGE: I really would dream to be a concert pianist.
That would be a dream come true.
GAVIN GEORGE: Music is a special gift to give to people.