Autistic, blind pianist proves anything is possible

March 23, 2009

Posted: 6:52 PM Mar 17, 2009

Last Updated: 12:09 AM Mar 18, 2009

Reporter: Alana Greenfogel

Email Address: Alana.Greenfogel@...

If you close your eyes and just listen, you will know you are listening to a

professional pianist. But when you open your eyes and see who is playing with

such skill and grace, you'll know this is a special young woman.

Brittany Maier was born four months early and nearly died. She survived without

her sight and with autism. Brittany, now living in New York, can't talk very

well, but she communicates through her music. Guests at the annual Logan Center

Nose-On fundraising event had the pleasure of seeing Brittany's performance

Tuesday.

" As long as you love them for the beautiful person that they are, then you'll

find all the joy in the world that you would ever want, " Brittany's mother,

Tammy Maier, says.

Tammy realized her daughter's unique talents when she started playing the piano

at six-years-old. By ten-years-old, she was composing her own music. Brittany's

repertoire is quite impressive. She can play almost every song! Don't believe

me? Just ask her. Guests at the Logan fundraiser learned that quickly.

" How many thousands of songs this little girl knows! And that the audience could

request anything. There isn't a song she doesn't know, " says guest Debbie

Majerek.

Tammy says her daughter knows thousands and thousands of songs. She plays with

only six fingers—no thumbs or pinkies. Tammy says her daughter thrives on

performing and feeds on the encouragement of the applause.

" They look at the world so differently than we do that some of the talents, like

Brittany has…I could just sit and listen to them forever, " says Leanne Suarez, a

parent with an autistic son.

" When Brittany was first born we weren't sure that she would live, " Tammy says.

" When you stop your life and truly actually ask for a miracle, I would say you

need to be prepared for when you get one. "

Brittany will be performing Wednesday evening at 7 at Washington Hall on Notre

Dame's campus.

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