Derek Paravicini, a Blind Savant, Displays Brilliant Piano Ability on '60 Minutes'

A blind, but brilliantly talented savant named Derek Paravicini is interviewed tonight by Lesley Stahl on CBS' 60 Minutes.

Paravicini is thirty years old. His conventional communication skills are extremely limited. His ability to communicate with the piano, however, is simply astounding.

During the 60 Minutes segment, Stahl looks requests songs from Paravicini as he is seated behind a piano. In addition to an incredible ability with the piano, Paravicini has what seems to be a computerized type of memory of a wide variety of songs across all musical spectrums.

Paravicini can instantly play, upon request, any song that he's heard in his life, and able to do so in any style requested.

Basic non-musical requests, however, such as showing a requested number of fingers, are well beyond his ability, it seems. When Stahl asks him if he can raise three fingers, Paravicini is clearly confused and lost.

Paravicini's stunning piano ability contrasted with his severely limited functional and cognitive abilities in everyday life make this one of the more poignant 60 Minutes segments ever.

While often romanticized in film and popular culture, savant syndrome, unfortunately, does not involve ability as comparable to Paravicini's. While savants often do demonstrate some subtle characteristics that hint at great abilities, almost never are the special abilities as pronounced as those exhibited by Paravicini.

The Savant Academy, which is dedicated to helping people with Savant Syndrome, says that there are likely about fifty savants in the world with incredible abilities.

Its website states, "Savants may demonstrate, for example, an ability to recite pages of text on a single hearing, to multiply six-digit numbers in their head, or to memorize and perform any song played for them just once. The 1988 film "Rain Man" introduced the concept of an autistic savant to a wider audience. Such prodigious savants are extremely rare."

Savant syndrome is believed to be caused by injury to the left hemisphere of the brain, which results in a compensation from the right side, leading to enhanced abilities on one level and disabilities on another.

While research continues into treatment of savants, there inevitably is an ethical boundary which one day researchers and doctors will face.

Anybody witnessing Derek Paravicini on the piano, such as millions watching and listening to him on 60 Minutes, will, question what exactly is in need of 'fixing'.

Source: Staff, "Preview: Derek Paravicini", cbsnews.com