A Musical Journey

By the time Middle Child turned one, she could sing. People thought the kid was a genius. She was singing Happy Birthday and the ABC song, along with common childhood tunes long before her peers could string two words together. When she heard a familiar song on the radio, she'd stop what she was doing and just sit there and listen. It was probably one of her first most distinguishing traits - she loved music.

At age 18 months until age seven, I took her to Kindermusik on a weekly basis. She learned to play her very own glockenspiel and dulcimer. She could easily pick out melodies on the keyboard. After being diagnosed with autism, I put her in music therapy for a summer, but the therapist felt that she should just move right into piano lessons. She's been playing now for seven years, moving up from recital pieces entitled, My Scooter to more complex pieces like Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Along the way, she's been in all her school choirs. Right now, she's in the A Cappella Choir at her high school. Last year, when she was a freshman, she got it into her head that she should sing a solo for the state music education association regional contest. She spent months preparing and got the second highest rating for her performance of Danny Boy. We were so proud of her accomplishment. Over the summer, she tried out for a few local musical productions and ended up with the lead in a children's play. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought my child who can't carry on a conversation with someone her own age would be up on stage.

She also composes music, albeit simple songs. She has won first, second or third place in the musical composition category for our school district's student in the arts contest every year since first grade.

Once again, she has decided to participate in the solo contest. It is this Saturday. She is singing Caro mio ben, an Italian arietta. Yes, it's in Italian. This child, who has trouble learning why the industrial revolution was important in history, has memorized a song in Italian, with no difficulty.


I don't know what the future holds for her, but I do know that music will always be a big part of her life. And that her favorite TV show will always be American Idol.