Brendan Lemieux - A Williams Syndrome Drummer

Brendan Lemieux: Rare Talent - The Source:

"You may still have plenty of time to become a prodigy if you’ve taken your first steps before you make your first foray into music, but Brendan Lemieux will have gotten the jump on you.

Brendan, now 21, was whistling Beethoven before he could walk.

“My mom told me that I was whistling at 14 months,” says Brendan, who picked up a pair of drumsticks at age three and has been playing ever since.

The motivation behind his proficiency is also unique. Brendan, who has the rare genetic condition Williams syndrome, suffered from the sensitivity to loud noises that often accompanies this disorder. Although it might seem paradoxical, playing the drums helped him overcome the physical illness that used to accompany loud noises.

While there is no doubt that Williams syndrome has its downside, including heart defects and joint problems, Brendan’s heightened sociability and musical abilities also result from the disorder."