In the key of genius
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0:00 - 0:01Adam Ockelford: I promise there won't be a too much
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0:01 - 0:04of me talking, and a lot of Derek playing,
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0:04 - 0:06but I thought it would just be nice to recap
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0:06 - 0:10on how Derek got to where he is today.
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0:10 - 0:13It's amazing now, because he's so much bigger than me,
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0:13 - 0:14but when Derek was born,
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0:14 - 0:17he could have fitted on the palm of your hand.
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0:17 - 0:20He was born three and a half months premature,
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0:20 - 0:25and really it was a fantastic fight for him to survive.
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0:25 - 0:26He had to have a lot of oxygen,
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0:26 - 0:28and that affected your eyes, Derek,
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0:28 - 0:30and also the way you understand language
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0:30 - 0:33and the way you understand the world.
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0:33 - 0:35But that was the end of the bad news,
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0:35 - 0:38because when Derek came home from hospital,
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0:38 - 0:41his family decided to employ the redoubtable nanny
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0:41 - 0:44who was going to look after you, Derek,
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0:44 - 0:46really for the rest of your childhood.
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0:46 - 0:49And Nanny's great insight, really,
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0:49 - 0:52was to think, here's a child who can't see.
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0:52 - 0:55Music must be the thing for Derek.
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0:55 - 0:59And sure enough, she sang, or as Derek called it, warbled,
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0:59 - 1:02to him for his first few years of life.
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1:02 - 1:06And I think it was that excitement with hearing her voice
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1:06 - 1:09hour after hour every day that made him think
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1:09 - 1:12maybe, you know, in his brain something was stirring,
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1:12 - 1:15some sort of musical gift.
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1:15 - 1:18Here's a little picture of Derek going up now,
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1:18 - 1:21when you were with your nanny.
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1:21 - 1:25Now Nanny's great other insight was to think,
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1:25 - 1:28perhaps we should get Derek something to play,
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1:28 - 1:32and sure enough, she dragged this little keyboard
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1:32 - 1:34out of the loft, never thinking really
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1:34 - 1:37that anything much would come of it.
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1:37 - 1:40But Derek, your tiny hand must have gone out to that thing
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1:40 - 1:41and actually bashed it,
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1:41 - 1:44bashed it so hard they thought it was going to break.
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1:44 - 1:48But out of all the bashing, after a few months,
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1:48 - 1:51emerged the most fantastic music,
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1:51 - 1:55and I think there was just a miracle moment, really, Derek,
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1:55 - 1:59when you realized that all the sounds you hear in the world
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1:59 - 2:03out there is something that you can copy on the keyboard.
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2:03 - 2:05That was the great eureka moment.
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2:05 - 2:08Now, not being able to see meant, of course,
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2:08 - 2:09that you taught yourself.
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2:09 - 2:10Derek Paravicini: I taught myself to play.
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2:10 - 2:12AO: You did teach yourself to play,
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2:12 - 2:14and as a consequence,
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2:14 - 2:15playing the piano for you, Derek,
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2:15 - 2:18was a lot of knuckles and karate chops,
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2:18 - 2:20and even a bit of nose going on in there.
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2:20 - 2:24And now, here's what Nanny did also do
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2:24 - 2:27was to press the record button on one of those little
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2:27 - 2:29early tape recorders that they had,
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2:29 - 2:32and this is a wonderful tape, now, of Derek playing
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2:32 - 2:33when you were four years old.
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2:33 - 2:36DP: "Molly Malone (Cockles and Mussels)."
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2:36 - 2:37AO: It wasn't actually "Cockles and Mussels."
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2:37 - 2:39This one is "English Country Garden."
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2:39 - 2:41DP: "English Country Garden."
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2:41 - 2:49(Music: "English Country Garden")
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3:18 - 3:20AO: There you are.
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3:20 - 3:27(Applause)
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3:27 - 3:29I think that's just fantastic.
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3:29 - 3:31You know, there's this little child who can't see,
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3:31 - 3:33can't really understand much about the world,
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3:33 - 3:36has no one in the family who plays an instrument,
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3:36 - 3:38and yet he taught himself to play that.
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3:38 - 3:39And as you can see from the picture,
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3:39 - 3:41there was quite a lot of body action going on
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3:41 - 3:43while you were playing, Derek.
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3:43 - 3:48Now, along -- Derek and I met when he was four and a half years old,
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3:48 - 3:52and at first, Derek, I thought you were mad, to be honest,
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3:52 - 3:53because when you played the piano,
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3:53 - 3:56you seemed to want to play every single note on the keyboard,
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3:56 - 3:58and also you had this little habit
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3:58 - 4:00of hitting me out of the way.
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4:00 - 4:02So as soon as I tried to get near the piano,
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4:02 - 4:04I was firmly shoved off.
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4:04 - 4:07And having said to your dad, Nick,
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4:07 - 4:09that I would try to teach you, I was then slightly confused
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4:09 - 4:11as to how I might go about that
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4:11 - 4:13if I wasn't allowed near the piano.
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4:13 - 4:15But after a while, I thought, well, the only way
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4:15 - 4:19is to just pick you up, shove Derek over to the other side of the room,
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4:19 - 4:22and in the 10 seconds that I got before Derek came back,
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4:22 - 4:25I could just play something very quickly
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4:25 - 4:27for him to learn.
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4:27 - 4:28And in the end, Derek, I think you agreed
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4:28 - 4:32that we could actually have some fun playing the piano together.
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4:32 - 4:35As you can see, there's me in my early,
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4:35 - 4:37pre-marriage days with a brown beard,
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4:37 - 4:41and little Derek concentrating there.
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4:41 - 4:43I just realized this is going to be recorded, isn't it? Right. Okay.
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4:43 - 4:45(Laughter)
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4:45 - 4:49Now then, by the age of 10, Derek really
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4:49 - 4:51had taken the world by storm.
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4:51 - 4:54This is a photo of you, Derek, playing at the Barbican
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4:54 - 4:56with the Royal Philharmonic Pops.
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4:56 - 5:00Basically it was just an exciting journey, really.
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5:00 - 5:02And in those days, Derek, you didn't speak very much,
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5:02 - 5:05and so there was always a moment of tension
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5:05 - 5:08as to whether you'd actually understood what it was we were going to play
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5:08 - 5:10and whether you'd play the right piece in the right key,
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5:10 - 5:12and all that kind of thing.
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5:12 - 5:14But the orchestra were wowed as well,
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5:14 - 5:18and the press of the world were fascinated by your ability
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5:18 - 5:22to play these fantastic pieces.
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5:22 - 5:25Now the question is, how do you do it, Derek?
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5:25 - 5:27And hopefully we can show the audience now
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5:27 - 5:30how it is you do what you do.
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5:30 - 5:32I think that one of the first things that happened
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5:32 - 5:33when you were very little, Derek,
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5:33 - 5:36was that by the time you were two,
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5:36 - 5:41your musical ear had already outstripped that of most adults.
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5:41 - 5:43And so whenever you heard any note at all --
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5:43 - 5:45if I just play a random note --
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5:45 - 5:48(Piano notes) --
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5:48 - 5:50you knew instantly what it was,
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5:50 - 5:54and you'd got the ability as well to find that note on the piano.
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5:54 - 5:56Now that's called perfect pitch,
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5:56 - 5:59and some people have perfect pitch for a few white notes
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5:59 - 6:00in the middle of the piano.
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6:00 - 6:06(Piano notes)
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6:06 - 6:09You can see how -- you get a sense of playing with Derek.
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6:09 - 6:13(Applause)
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6:13 - 6:16But Derek, your ear is so much more than that.
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6:16 - 6:17If I just put the microphone down for a bit,
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6:17 - 6:20I'm going to play a cluster of notes.
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6:20 - 6:22Those of you who can see will know how many notes,
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6:22 - 6:23but Derek, of course, can't.
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6:23 - 6:26Not only can you say how many notes,
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6:26 - 6:32it's being able to play them all at the same time. Here we are.
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6:32 - 6:39(Chords)
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6:42 - 6:44Well, forget the terminology, Derek. Fantastic.
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6:44 - 6:49And that's ability, that ability to hear simultaneous sounds,
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6:49 - 6:52not only just single sounds, but when a whole orchestra is playing,
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6:52 - 6:54Derek, you can hear every note,
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6:54 - 6:57and instantly, through all those hours and hours of practice,
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6:57 - 6:59reproduce those on the keyboard,
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6:59 - 7:03that makes you, I think, is the basis of all your ability.
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7:03 - 7:06Now then.
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7:06 - 7:09It's no use having that kind of raw ability
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7:09 - 7:11without the technique,
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7:11 - 7:13and luckily, Derek, you decided that,
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7:13 - 7:16once we did start learning, you'd let me help you
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7:16 - 7:17learn all the scale fingerings.
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7:17 - 7:20So for example using your thumb under with C major.
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7:20 - 7:25(Piano notes)
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7:25 - 7:29Etc.
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7:32 - 7:35And in the end, you got so quick,
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7:35 - 7:37that things like "Flight of the Bumblebee"
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7:37 - 7:38were no problem, were they?
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7:38 - 7:39DP: No.
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7:39 - 7:42AO: Right. So here, by the age of 11,
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7:42 - 7:44Derek was playing things like this.
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7:44 - 7:47DP: This.
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7:47 - 8:01(Music: "Flight of the Bumblebee")
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8:55 - 8:57(Applause)
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8:57 - 8:59AO: Derek, let's have a bow.
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9:11 - 9:15Well done.
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9:15 - 9:19Now the truly amazing thing was, with all those scales, Derek,
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9:19 - 9:21you could not only play "Flight of the Bumblebee"
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9:21 - 9:24in the usual key, but any note I play,
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9:24 - 9:26Derek can play it on.
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9:26 - 9:28Say I just choose a note at random, like that one.
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9:28 - 9:30(Piano notes)
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9:30 - 9:32Can you play "Flight of the Bumblebee" on that note?
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9:32 - 9:34DP: "Flight of the Bumblebee" on that note.
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9:34 - 9:38(Music: "Flight of the Bumblebee")
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9:40 - 9:44AO: Or another one? How about in G minor?
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9:44 - 9:46DP: G minor.
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9:46 - 9:51(Music: "Flight of the Bumblebee")
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9:51 - 9:54AO: Fantastic. Well done, Derek.
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9:54 - 9:57So you see, in your brain, Derek, is this amazing musical computer
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9:57 - 10:01that can instantly recalibrate, recalculate,
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10:01 - 10:03all the pieces in the world that are out there.
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10:03 - 10:06Most pianists would have a heart attack if you said,
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10:06 - 10:08"Sorry, do you mind playing 'Flight of the Bumblee'
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10:08 - 10:11in B minor instead of A minor?" as we went on.
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10:11 - 10:14In fact, the first time, Derek, you played that with an orchestra,
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10:14 - 10:16you'd learned the version that you'd learned,
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10:16 - 10:18and then the orchestra, in fact, did have a different version,
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10:18 - 10:21so while we were waiting in the two hours
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10:21 - 10:23before the rehearsal and the concert,
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10:23 - 10:25Derek listened to the different version and learned it quickly
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10:25 - 10:28and then was able to play it with the orchestra.
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10:28 - 10:29Fantastic chap.
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10:29 - 10:33The other wonderful thing about you is memory.
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10:33 - 10:36DP: Memory.
AO: Your memory is truly amazing, and every concert we do, -
10:36 - 10:39we ask the audience to participate, of course,
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10:39 - 10:43by suggesting a piece Derek might like to play.
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10:43 - 10:45And people say, "Well, that's terribly brave
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10:45 - 10:47because what happens if Derek doesn't know it?"
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10:47 - 10:48And I say, "No, it's not brave at all,
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10:48 - 10:50because if you ask for something that Derek doesn't know,
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10:50 - 10:52you're invited to come and sing it first,
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10:52 - 10:55and then he'll pick it up." (Laughter)
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10:55 - 10:59So just be thoughtful before you suggest something too outlandish.
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10:59 - 11:03But seriously, would anyone like to choose a piece?
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11:03 - 11:07DP: Choose a piece. Choose, choose, would you like to choose?
AO: Because it's quite dark. You'll just have to shout out. -
11:07 - 11:10Would you like to hear me play?
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11:10 - 11:11(Audience: "Theme of Paganini.")
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11:11 - 11:14AO: Paganini.
DP: "The Theme of Paganini." -
11:14 - 11:16(Laughter)
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11:16 - 11:38(Music: "Theme of Paganini")
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12:51 - 13:02(Applause)
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13:02 - 13:08AO: Well done.
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13:08 - 13:10Derek's going to L.A. soon,
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13:10 - 13:14and it's a milestone, because it means that Derek and I
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13:14 - 13:17will have spent over 100 hours on long-haul flights together,
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13:17 - 13:20which is quite interesting, isn't it Derek?
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13:20 - 13:23DP: Very interesting, Adam, yes. Long-haul flights. Yes.
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13:23 - 13:25AO: You may think 13 hours is a long time to keep talking,
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13:25 - 13:28but Derek does it effortlessly. Now then.
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13:28 - 13:30(Laughter)
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13:30 - 13:32But in America, they've coined this term,
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13:32 - 13:34"the human iPod" for Derek,
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13:34 - 13:36which I think is just missing the point, really,
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13:36 - 13:39because Derek, you're so much more than an iPod.
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13:39 - 13:42You're a fantastic, creative musician,
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13:42 - 13:45and I think that was nowhere clearer to see, really,
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13:45 - 13:47than when we went to Slovenia,
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13:47 - 13:52and someone, in a longer concert we tend to get people joining in,
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13:52 - 13:56and this person, very, very nervously came onto the stage.
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13:56 - 13:58DP: He played "Chopsticks."
AO: And played "Chopsticks." -
13:58 - 14:00DP: "Chopsticks."
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14:00 - 14:03AO: A bit like this.
DP: Like this. Yes. -
14:03 - 14:04(Piano notes)
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14:04 - 14:06AO: I should really get Derek's manager to come and play it.
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14:06 - 14:07He's sitting there.
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14:07 - 14:10DP: Somebody played "Chopsticks" like this.
AO: Just teasing, right? Here we go. -
14:10 - 14:12(Music: "Chopsticks")
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14:12 - 14:14DP: Let Derek play it.
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14:14 - 14:16AO: What did you do with it, Derek?
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14:16 - 14:17DP: I got improvise with it, Adam.
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14:17 - 14:21AO: This is Derek the musician.
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14:21 - 14:29(Music: "Chopsticks" improvisation)
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15:17 - 15:19(Applause)
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15:19 - 15:23(Music) (Clapping)
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15:23 - 15:25Keep up with Derek.
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15:25 - 15:33(Music)
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16:20 - 16:26(Applause)
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16:43 - 16:44The TED people will kill me,
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16:44 - 16:46but perhaps there's time for one encore.
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16:46 - 16:50DP: For one encore.
AO: One encore, yes. -
16:50 - 16:52So this is one of Derek's heroes.
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16:52 - 16:54It's the great Art Tatum --
DP: Art Tatum. -
16:54 - 16:56AO: -- who also was a pianist who couldn't see,
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16:56 - 16:57and also, I think, like Derek,
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16:57 - 16:59thought that all the world was a piano,
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16:59 - 17:01so whenever Art Tatum plays something,
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17:01 - 17:03it sounds like there's three pianos in the room.
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17:03 - 17:09And here is Derek's take on Art Tatum's take on "Tiger Rag."
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17:09 - 17:13DP: "Tiger Rag."
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17:13 - 17:32(Music: "Tiger Rag")
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19:03 - 19:07(Applause)
- Title:
- In the key of genius
- Speaker:
- Derek Paravicini and Adam Ockelford
- Description:
-
Born three and a half months prematurely, Derek Paravicini is blind and has severe autism. But with perfect pitch, innate talent and a lot of practice, he became an acclaimed concert pianist by the age of 10. Here, his longtime piano teacher, Adam Ockelford, explains his student’s unique relationship to music, while Paravicini shows how he has ripped up the "Chopsticks" rule book. (Filmed at TEDxWarwick.)
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 19:38
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Thu-Huong Ha approved English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Thu-Huong Ha edited English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Thu-Huong Ha edited English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Morton Bast accepted English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Morton Bast edited English subtitles for In the key of genius | ||
Joseph Geni edited English subtitles for In the key of genius |