A young man with special needs from New Brunswick has hit a high note in his development while working with a music therapist in Moncton.
“He has this talent and he loves to let everybody know that he’s got it,” said Lily Murphy whose son Aaron, 20, was born with developmental delays.
Aaron, who is legally blind, may not be able to clearly see the ivory keys but his ear for music is perfect said his instructor Rebecca Ann Coghlin who works as a music teacher at Long and McQuade in Moncton.
‘He has perfect pitch” said Coghlin who has a degree in music and also studied to be a music therapist at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.
Coghlin said that Aaron is able to identify each note by ear rather than by sight.
“He can tell the key of any sound that he hears, a squeak in the door, the telephone rings, somebody’s voice,” said his mother.
She said that her son was never expected to sit up let alone sit at a piano and she and her husband are in awe of his natural musical ability which was revealed as a young boy.
“I was playing the guitar and he looked at me and said ‘Daddy that is F’ and I looked and I said ‘no way,'” said his father, Dave Murphy.
Aaron’s ear for music has grown even stronger since starting to work with Coghlin who is working toward her full certification hours as a music therapist.
It differs from her training as a formal music teacher, she said.
“In music therapy, you transfer those musical skills into communicating and interacting and accomplishing therapeutic goals,” she said.
There is no sheet music, she works more organically with Aaron’s natural talents allowing his fingers to flow where his heart feels most at home.
Right now she is working toward helping Aaron grow in confidence to play alone one day. He currently needs her accompaniment to follow by ear.
“I am starting to work on it,” said Aaron who is proud of his accomplishments. “I feel great, and happy,” said Aaron.
“A huge part of it is helping him be more independent and make choices by himself,” said Coghlin.
Aaron’s father said the music therapy has also helped enhance his son’s life skills.
“Before he started off he would play with the right hand but then he started to graduate to the left hand,” said his father.
“The boy that they said would never amount to (anything) in regards to what the medical professionals were saying – he beat all the odds,” said his dad, “he has blessed our hearts.”