Arts Keyboard Virtuoso Some people are born with great innate abilities and others with drive and determination to excel. When the two qualities come together, as they do in the life of Alex Marquez the results are impressive. March 2007

by Don Huntington, with Jacki Irwin

Alex Marquez appears to be an ordinary eight-year-old boy — or somewhat above ordinary, perhaps, since he loves studying math in his Loma Vista Elementary School classroom, and is fond of Mrs. Moody, his third-grade teacher.

However, when he sits down at a piano, Alex displays a talent that sets him apart from most children, or even adults. He combines an incredible talent for playing the piano with a love for music and a passion to move his extraordinary abilities to ever-higher levels of expertise and accomplishment.

From the Start

Alex’s mom, Sandra wonders if she is partially responsible for Alex’s love for music because while Alex was still in her womb she would play classical music while holding the speaker close to her belly as a way of giving her son opportunities to experience good music before he was born.

When Alex was only a few months old he said his first word, “Momo,” which made his proud mother think that he was saying “mommy.” One evening, however, while driving home with Alex, the infant began crying inconsolably. His parents tried everything to calm him. Finally, in desperation his dad, James, suggested that they put some classical music into the CD player in an effort to calm the child.

“Put on Mozart,” his dad said. To their surprise Alex was instantly quiet. They concluded that his first attempt at speech had been an effort to say the word “Mozart,” not “momma.” Alex drew comfort from music in the same way that Linus, in the Charlie Brown comics, found comfort in his favorite blanket. He might have gotten some of his musical abilities from his great grandmother, who wrote songs for the church and played the piano.

Alex’s grandfather owned a keyboard and could play by ear. His granddad resisted permitting the young child to touch the delicate instrument, imagining that he might beat on the keys and damage them.

Finally, Alex’s grandmother persuaded her husband to let the child try to play and everyone was astonished at how gently Alex touched the keys. He didn’t play Mozart as his first effort, but his family recognized something special in the way he caressed the instrument. He seemed instantly to develop an affinity for the keyboard. They got Alex a miniature grand piano. It was more toy than musical instrument because it lacked a full keyboard. At three years of age he began to play simple songs by ear. Alex was ready for a piano teacher, but piano teachers weren’t ready for him.

When Sandra began the search for a teacher she was turned down many times by teachers who wouldn’t attempt to give music lessons to a three-year old. They told his mother to call back when Alex reached six or seven.

One prospective teacher insisted that Alex must be able to read before she would consider taking him. Sandra quickly explained that Alex was able to read simple words and sentences. The teacher, Jenny Floravita, agreed to test Alex’s preparedness.

The teacher began in the normal manner by showing the child where middle C is located on the piano. She then asked him if he could locate A. Children that young will typically have no idea — or will guess A to be the first key at the far left end of the keyboard. Alex, however, correctly pointed out the location of A as being the third white key to the left of C. The demonstration of mature reasoning and musical intelligence persuaded Ms. Floravita to take him on.

When he was five Alex attended a recital in the main hall of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He was greatly impressed with the talent of the performers. He told his parents that he intended to be up there performing some day.

So at a time of life when children are typically interested in playing with blocks in preschool, Alex was learning how to play the piano. And later, in a first grade talent show, for his first public performance, he played a Bach minuet and themes from The Lion King.

The next year Alex became one of the youngest students to be accepted for studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, which has a mission of promoting a future in classical music for promising students.

The only hitch was that he needed a real piano, with a full keyboard. Sandra called a music teacher, Katherine Thompson, and asked about renting a piano. Right after that Katherine sent an unexpected message. “You’re not going to believe what happened!” A former student named Ron Bowman was getting rid of his piano and was willing to give it away free. It was delivered that same night.

“I’m going to repay him some day,” Sandra said.

So since last September Sandra and Alex, together with Alex’s younger sister, Emma, leave the house at 6:30 every Saturday morning and drive to the Pittsburg BART station. After riding into the City, they then walk five blocks from the San Francisco BART station to the conservatory. From 10:00 until 11:30 Alex takes a class in musicianship — studying conducting, composition, rhythm, and especially music theory. He then takes a piano lesson at 1:00 p.m. with the accomplished teacher and performer, Jerri Witt.

In between the two learning experiences Alex loves to attend concerts that the Conservatory hosts each Saturday at 11:45. In fact, two years after seeing his first recital at the Conservatory and making up his mind to be up there himself, he performed for the first time on the recital stage.

After his piano lesson, it is back on the 3:00 BART train, which allows him and his family to get back to Brentwood just in time for the 5:00 mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church where he plays piano for the Children’s Choir.

Every semester Alex performs two contrasting pieces in a juried recital at the Conservatory in front of three judges. The first time he got three A’s, plus the professors made beautiful comments in their critiques — writing words that can still bring tears to his parents’ eyes as they remember.

In Pursuit of Excellence

Alex loves to play the piano. He practices his lessons every day, and often plays just for his own pleasure — just for the love of music. Sandra says that listening to Alex play Beethoven’s Sonatina in G is her favorite. One of Alex’s own favorite pieces is a minuet composed by Bach for his own children. When he performs the piece, the music seems to flow out of his fingers.

Alex has the soul of a perfectionist. “When Alex is learning a new piece it can get ugly,” says Sandra. She tries to tell him that it’s okay to make mistakes, but sometimes when trying to master a piece, Alex will stomp his feet and shout, “It’s not okay!”

During the interview for this article, Alex said that he was learning three Haydn pieces called “German Dances.” Even though he claimed he was in the beginning stages of learning to play them, his performance seemed masterful. And he played the pieces without having the musical score in front of him.

“I memorize everything,” he said. After he has played a piece a few times, he’s committed it to heart. He also has perfect pitch. With his back turned to the instrument, he can identify any note that is struck on the piano.

Sandra says that she used to help her son with his music lessons but now admits that Alex has progressed far beyond the point where she has anything that she could profitably contribute to his learning.

Alex appreciates Jerri Witt, his teacher. He saw one of her concerts and declares that she is the best pianist he ever heard; she has set a standard of excellence for him. She stirs up in his heart a passion to practice — often three hours a day. An unswerving commitment to hard work is transforming Alex’s talent.

Alex attributes his mastery of technique to his teacher. He demonstrates how by positioning and weighting each hand he can deftly play his left hand softer than the right so that it accompanies and supports the tune, without overwhelming it. Or, most impressively, he can play a complicated passage with one finger playing with more force than the other four so that the tune stands out as though being played by two different hands.

Alex has a poster on the wall of his room showing all the major composers during the past 14 centuries. Sandra says that her son takes it upon himself to learn about the composers and their works. His enthusiasm for playing and performing is evidenced by his body language and his excitement as he talks about music and composers.

A Balanced Life

Alex appreciates all kinds of music and carries his enthusiasm for music into other parts of his life. He enjoys reading and loves math. Sandra says that he learned multiplication in kindergarten and is neck and neck with one other top student in memorizing math facts.

Alex’s father, James, is an avid soccer player who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and take up the sport. Alex says he tried but wasn’t very good. His dad has come to accept Alex’s passion and talents for music. In fact, when James listened to Alex play Ave Maria and sing along, the production had such an angelic quality that Dad got all teary, even though Alex was simply singing the count to maintain the tempo!

Alex has become interested in other activities than music. In March he earned a black belt with American Karate. It took him three years of hard work. Since watching the World Cup last fall, Alex now plays soccer at school during recess. He is driven by a desire to excel at whatever he puts his hand to.

Alex’s little sister, Emma, who is his biggest fan, is a budding musician herself. Alex taught her to play three songs on the piano and now she is learning to play the violin.

She’s only in kindergarten but as Alex performs on the piano, Emma sometimes picks out the tune on her violin, which is a scaled down instrument so that her tiny fingers can reach all the notes. She says she loves music better than chocolate.

As Alex plays while his family looks on, they are obviously delighted with the genius that is flowering in their midst. Little sister taps on Dad’s back to the cadence of the music, while Mom and Dad look on with love for Alex and pride in his accomplishments.

The pathway ahead is bright with possibilities for a person with Alex’s talents. Nobody knows what the future holds for this remarkable person. Everyone expects that it will be wonderful!