Piano Player Debut Recital - Chopin Mazurka Op. 6 No. 1

In most cultures, mothers are allowed to be proud of their off-spring, aren't they? In any case, I am about to brag shamelessly - and beyond - about my son Eilev (19).

My son, who one beautiful day this spring decided he wanted to learn how to play the piano. Nothing particular about that part of the story. But just wait till you hear the rest. As discussed in social and blog media (check out master of Science 2.0 Hank Campbell's thoughts at Scientificblogging.com), the younger generation devourer information with a pace never seen before, leaving us slightly older completely amazed at best, and rather condemning at worst.

Well, my son is one of those 'infonivorous' youngsters who learn basically everything on YouTube. I did observe a growing interest in classical music, but when he one day dug out the old children's keyboard from God only knows where in this house, and started to 'commute' between the computer and the keyboard, it sprung like a bomb on me. And that was still only the start. Not before long I recognized Beethoven's Moonlight sonata (not before long here is before 4 weeks after the keyboard had resurfaced in the living room) filling the house morning and night, and then Monday 14th June, 8 weeks after he started to study at the YouTube University, or should I say YouTube Conservatoire, he debuted with his recital of Chopin's Mazurka Op. 6 No.1 at a concert in Vardåsen Church in Asker outside Oslo, Norway.

I am shamelessly proud - and still in shock, as are virtually everybody else; family, musicians, friends, the lot.

Here he is. I proudly present my son Eilev, on piano, playing Chopin's Mazurka after playing the piano only 8 weeks, without teachers and without a proper piano at home.



(Thanks to friends with piano, he got to practice a few times on real pianos in the 8 week period.)