Fourteen-Year-Old with Cerebral
Palsy Connects with Music

Bryan Wright began as a fighter. Now he is a winner. Born prematurely and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, he has used music to hoist himself beyond his disability. At a previous Yamaha Clavinova Festival sponsored by Music City Spokane, Inc., he took prizes in two categories — Best Original Composition and Best Ensemble Group.

Bryan is more than an accomplished keyboardist. He is a composer and has the ear of a music master. After seeing a movie, he comes home and plays the score by ear — in the right key.

Bryan has been surrounded by music since his birth 14 years ago when his mom brought keyboard recordings to the intensive care unit. As a toddler he started experimenting with small Yamaha keyboards.

“As a child, he had trouble sitting at the piano because his right arm sort of hung,” says his mom, a professional pianist. “He couldn’t hold up his shoulder. But he had a knack for music, even back then.”

Bryan doesn’t need much physical support anymore, but his love for music sure gets the support of his family. His grandmother is his piano teacher and his parents and brother are musicians. They were part of his ensemble at the Yamaha Clavinova Festival.

“There is no doubt in my mind that music has benefited Bryan therapeutically,” says his mom. Music research supports what Bryan has accomplished personally and academically. Playing piano has improved his fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination, and spatial relations in addition to giving him a sense of genuine accomplishment.

Bryan is already charting out his musical future. He teaches piano to five students and is now working on an album. He hopes to write movie scores someday. Bryan looks forward to using his Clavinova digital piano to complete it.

“I love the Clavinova because of its sound, the different voices, and recording capabilities,” he says. Bryan built his first computer nearly from scratch and uses it with his Clavinova to compose.

Bryan is well known at his middle school, where he takes special music courses and is a popular performer. “There’s nothing else I’d rather do than entertain people with music,” says Bryan. “He’s always got a smile on his face,” says his mom. “He’s reserved. Still waters run deep. Sensing the pain in his life has allowed him to express himself and connect with people through his music.”

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