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Kuha'o, Blind Teen Prodigy, Plays Piano After Hearing Song One Time (VIDEO)

Posted: 04/ 4/2012 1:19 pm Updated: 04/ 4/2012 5:03 pm

Piano Teen Prodigy

If you think your piano skills are up to par, this teen's chops just might knock you back down a notch.

According to his friend's YouTube channel, Kuha'o, 15, has been blind since he was an infant, but his impairment has highlighted an extraordinary talent: playing any song on the piano after hearing it just once.

The talented musician has been playing the instrument for about three years. In this video, YouTube user surfwyoming5 challenges Kuha'o's skills with dubstep song "Cracks" by Freestylers.

After listening to the song for several minutes, the teen heads to the piano (at about 5:50) and plays the tune back without hesitation. His nimble fingers turn the electronic song into an instrumental masterpiece.

The video has garnered nearly 60,000 views in the two days since it was first uploaded.

In another video, the teen was filmed on April 3 playing a song from the Broadway hit, "The Phantom of the Opera."

While the teen's talent is sure to impress, he's not the first blind teen prodigy to gain attention.

Yerko Difonis, a blind and near-deaf student, made headlines after his family was deported back to Chile. Difonis studied at the La Guardia School for the Performing Arts in New York, where he earned the opportunity to play the piano at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, FOX News reports.

In 2008, a blind 5-year-old named Yoo Ye-eun began making headlines after showcasing her piano skills on "Star King," a Korean talent show. The girl has never taken lessons and, like Kuha'o, she can play back any song after hearing it only once.

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If you think your piano skills are up to par, this teen's chops just might knock you back down a notch. According to his friend's YouTube channel, Kuha'o, 15, has been blind since he was an infant,...
If you think your piano skills are up to par, this teen's chops just might knock you back down a notch. According to his friend's YouTube channel, Kuha'o, 15, has been blind since he was an infant,...
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02:21 PM on 04/05/2012
AMAZING
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jose Luis Herrera
the dark knight
01:26 PM on 04/05/2012
that was incredible....bravo!!!
12:17 PM on 04/05/2012
he know how to play the music he lean very fast very good to see =)
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sadiemae1214
Life is a Cabaret old Chum!
11:53 AM on 04/05/2012
The kid is amazing after being blind and only playing for 3 years. Stevie wonder was also blind and Beethoven was deaf and continued to compose fantastic symphonies. The human senses are great!
11:50 AM on 04/05/2012
There was an African-American man who went by the name of "Blind Tom" He could play entire piano sonatas after listening to the piece only once. Never had a piano lesson. I think it's a form of autism. Try reading some of the amazing facts about Black folks!
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TwoZeroOZ
01:52 PM on 04/05/2012
"black folks"?
Why? Are they any different from anyone else?
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stephendelong1
Author of Minnesotan EH!
11:08 AM on 04/05/2012
God gives you the chance, never give up. To Simply Exist is Not Enough!!! Create
07:45 AM on 04/05/2012
Wow, amazing, what a talented young man. It could teach us all a little something about life.
09:52 PM on 04/04/2012
The thing that strikes me is that without the sense of sight it's obvious that other senses have become more acute. I'm glad he can tap into it. I believe the lesson I'll take from this is that life for me is mostly visual at the expense of the aural and the touch. Am I lazy? I think I'll close my eyes more often.
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Bahasa11
11:07 PM on 04/04/2012
very well said-thank you.
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NoPartyCharlie
09:49 PM on 04/04/2012
I have been playing piano since the age of six. The fact that he has only been playing for three years and has that skill is so pure love and awe inspiring. If someone works with him on dynamics and to craft his own compositions, watch out for this kid. I have a question....are there any great modern classical composers out there? I do so myself, but I want to find other people who compose. If you guys ever want to hear my stuff, I would like to know how it makes you feel. http://soundcloud.com/user7445131/he-appeared-digital
11:53 AM on 04/05/2012
This video was really inspiring! What a beautiful gift that Kuha has. You're right - he should collaborate with the respected people to further help him unfold his talent. And as for you Charlie ... your music is pure poetry & very relaxing. I'd like a copy of your CD! I too compose classical-like music. Please feel free to check out my youtube channel (I don't get a lot of views though) www.youtube.com/wonderingsoul11
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NoPartyCharlie
12:07 AM on 04/09/2012
!!!!!!!!!! What are you for real? I am blown away watching your composition.....uhm I dont even know what to say...usually when someone shows me their stuff it is not this heartfelt and complex. Its always something indigo sappy sounding. You blow my stuff out of the water, it reminds me that I need to go back to practicing other compositions to get my skill back - used to take lessons for many many years but stopped for a while- Do you have a cd? I am guessing you are recognized by soime label...where the hell did you come from?? I did not expect this at all
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Onegin
music and science is my religion
09:31 PM on 04/04/2012
Give this kid a computer, some recording software, and a MIDI keyboard, and he'll be making records in no time. Very inspiring. I hope he is being provided the necessary tools, lessons, and opportunities to make the most of his talent.
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OrleyHuxwell
Brave New Animal Farm
09:07 PM on 04/04/2012
And then there's Noboyuki Tsujii who was born blind and recently won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9fo3FoHDBc&feature=related
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GaryNOVA
Fear My Micro-bio!!!!!!!!
09:05 PM on 04/04/2012
60,000 views?

wow. i bet he didn't see that coming.
09:10 AM on 04/05/2012
Didn't see that coming? Really?
08:22 PM on 04/04/2012
This is so inspiring!
07:25 PM on 04/04/2012
that was not very impressive.
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10:46 AM on 04/05/2012
I'll bet you aren't either!
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maverick9808
klaatu barada necktie
07:25 PM on 04/04/2012
Doesn't matter if he is blind or not, a great musician generally doesn't look at their instrument; that said he is pretty amazing. It is something unreal to create music so abstract from just listening to a piece 2 times. Hope to see more of him!
09:14 AM on 04/05/2012
Sorry, but great musicians do look at their instruments all the time. If you have the gift of sight you utilize it when you play. On the flip side, if you've never seen before you adapt.