A six-year-old blind child from Ohio, Avett Ray Maness, has taught himself to play the piano by ear and now performs impressive renditions of well-known tunes. Typically, children start learning to play instruments like the piano at age five or six, starting with basic notes and simple tunes.
However, Avett’s ability to learn by ear is remarkable on its own, made even more extraordinary by the fact that he is blind. His talent has earned him recognition as a piano prodigy in Dayton, Ohio.
Avett was born with a condition called optic nerve fibroplasia, which resulted in complete vision loss in one eye and almost complete loss in the other. Despite being legally blind and using a cane, he has also mastered Braille.
Remarkably, Avett began playing the piano at just eleven months old, teaching himself to play by ear. He was drawn to the piano as soon as he could reach it, and by that time, he could already recognize and play simple melodies like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
Avett’s popularity soared when a video of him requesting his mother to text his favorite artist, Adele, went viral. His charming persistence captured hearts, leading to local news stations covering his story.
Sara Moore, Avett’s mother, shared with CBS News that “music is in his body.” She also mentioned how Avett has been diligently honing his performance skills, with many people eager to witness his exceptional talent on display.
Avett has already showcased his talent to nearly 900 faculty and staff members at schools in Centerville, Ohio. He is also scheduled to perform at an upcoming Ronald McDonald House fundraiser in April.
In his latest viral video, the remarkably gifted Avett performs his own rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” playing the piano and singing. Despite his small stature and visual impairment, Avett introduces the song confidently before delivering a remarkable performance. Witnessing his ability to play with such assurance despite his inability to see is truly incredible.
Avett’s determination to pursue his passion for playing the piano is inspiring. He approaches his music without any awareness of his disability, and his family hopes this mindset remains unchanged in the future.