Blind and neurodiverse teen, 13, leaves onlookers in tears with piano talent

17 February 2023 , 19:48

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A teacher and proud mother have told the story behind potentially one of the TV moments of the year which will air next week.

Channel 4 have already released an extraordinary teaser clip of 13-year-old Lucy who is blind and neurodiverse playing a highly complex Chopin piece in new series The Piano. It has been liked more than 11,000 times on Twitter.

But in the full episode airing next week her family and teacher explain how she is able to play so magically that it left Lang Lang, the world’s greatest piano player, speechless and other onlookers in tears.

Lucy’s mum Candice says: “When she was born she was told that there’s something wrong. Lucy was diagnosed with cancerous tumours in the eyes. We were in a cancer bubble for a long time, which was horrendous. And we were in and out of hospital and I had to watch them pin my daughter down because she didn’t want this. And she cried, and she kicked and she screamed.

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Lucy played a Chopin piece in the new series The Piano (@Channel4)

"I’ve never seen Lucy cry as much as she did. You look at these nurses and you have to trust them. You have to trust them. And that’s the hard part because you’re the mum.

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"As she stands now, she hasn’t got any vision at all. On top of that, Lucy has a chromosome 16 duplication. I have it. It can affect mental health it can affect autism traits. She’s is globally developmentally delayed as well. So she struggles with communication.

"She can’t hold a conversation, not really. However, long time ago when she was very little, she had a little tiny keyboard. And we took it into hospital with us and she played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, perfectly on it. And the nurse came over and she thought that it was pre recorded. And I said ‘no Lucy is playing it’ and the nurse just that’s spectacular. And that’s when Daniel came in and started working with her.”

Onlookers were in tears listening to her play (@Channel4)

Music teacher Daniel Bath said: “I do a lot of teaching through Amber Trust which is a charity that helps blind musicians. Our lessons aren’t like normal piano lessons, because she can’t see what’s happening. I started using a method of where I would play the piano and she would put her hands on top of my hand so she could feel which fingers would do what. I’ve never met anybody in my career who has the same depth of understanding of music.”

Viewers will see Daniel teaching Lucy new music and then accompanying her to a piano in the middle of Leeds train station where she performs. Despite being completely blind the piece is note perfect and she appears lost in the joy of playing the music.

Viewers will see Daniel teaching Lucy new music (@Channel4)

The show’s two judges Lang Lang and Mika are speechless initially before Lang Lang says: “How does she study? This is incredible. Beautiful. Ive never seen anything like this.”

Mika adds: “She was basically turning a tuned percussion instrument into a breathing living vocal. instrument. And it took a 13 year old girl to show us how to do that.”

The show is hosted by Claudia Winkleman and the best performers chosen by pop star Mika and Lang Lang will get to play at the Royal Festival Hall in the final episode.

An emotional Claudia tells Lucy: “It was so lovely to meet you. You were tremendous.”