8.27.10 - 1:00PM
- by
Emmy Blotnick

Young Amputee Plays Piano With Feet on China's Got Talent (The One)

topic:
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Music
Television
The One

As if mastering the piano isn't difficult enough, 23-year-old Liu Wei has taken on the challenge feet-first.

After losing both his arms in an accident at age 10, Wei taught himself to play the piano with his toes in secret.

The years of hard work have paid off: His perfect recital of "Mariage D'amour" earned him a standing ovation on China's Got Talent along with the respect and awe of millions.

via:// Gawker

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8.27.10

By mikevickisadirtynigger

Highest Rank

Now thats incredible. Move over Ray Charles.

8.27.10

By Tom

Highest Rank

Um...unless the audio track and video are not in sync, if you look closely there are more notes sounding than he is hitting with his toes...nonetheless, if he's actually playing all those notes than what appears to be...that's incredible!

8.27.10

By Elaine

Neutral

Um, Mike, Ray Charles is dead, so this kid pretty much has the stage if he wants it dummy. And your name says a lot about you. Smh.

8.27.10

By Tzvi

Highest Rank

um, Elaine, Do you just go online to criticize other people's comments? While his screenname is obscene, he still only mentioned Ray Charles to emphasize the amazing talent of this amputee. Judging somebody by their screenname is rude. Saying "Move over" was just putting the combination of this pianist's skill level and his amazing accomplishments on an equal level to that of Ray Charles'

8.27.10

By New York

Highest Rank

This was truly beautiful. Amazing show of emormous talent & spirit. I look at this and say if you have the will, anything is possible.

8.27.10

By Ross

Neutral

Hey TZVI bit of a hypocrite aren't you? ...

8.27.10

By harry

Lowest Ranked

Gotta hand it to him...........

8.27.10

By jbsasktheape4

Neutral

No you mean you gotta foot it to him.

8.27.10

By Pamela

Highest Rank

This young man is amazing. So many healthy humans don't do anything with their lives and here he is doing a miracle. God Bless Him.

8.27.10

By thedoctor

Highest Rank

from the music aspect of the performance,I too would agree as a musician that he is not playing all the musical note/tones heard.There appears to be two musical theme lines going on at the same time he is playing what I would consider to be the back ground one,the other being too technical in that the dexterity and spread of the toes(not like fingers)hinder the more technical challenge.From the human aspect,he is phenominal.His mind,spirit,and will to persevere,far supercedes any physical limitation he may have to conquer the technicalities of playing the piano.God Bless him.

8.27.10

By lagatha abbott

Highest Rank

I was distracted from his performance for this same reason. Had he been introduced as playing accompanyment to a melody I would have been more wowed. But with the fuzzy lens on the camera and constant shot changes I felt like something was not above-board. I just wanted to watch his feet!
However, had he played Chopsticks I would have been impressed.

8.27.10

By gsxrjess

Highest Rank

If you watch the clip on youtube the video and audio are timed correctly and you can see his left foot rolling the chords and his right toes playing the faster individual notes... coming from someone that plays piano and guitar I 100 percent believe he is playing all the notes

8.27.10

By eduvigest

Highest Rank

Ohhhhh! this really touched my heart; and i am so scared at times to do and have all extremeties:( :)

8.27.10

By odunayo

Highest Rank

God bless him...am sure he could have played more with legs if he has got the two limbs?You are blessing to your generation..Really touching!

8.27.10

By jbsasktheape4

Neutral

That is amazing but I hate looking at feet.
If I just listen to him that would be great.

8.27.10

By suitman36

Neutral

very nice piano playing....i listened to the whole thing, but, i'll probably want to listen again in an hour.

8.27.10

By Ross Clark

Neutral

Too funny

8.27.10

By Brenda

Highest Rank

Truely amazing...

8.27.10

By Antonio Ruiz

Highest Rank

INCREDIBLE !!! YOU DID A HECK OF A JOB PUTTING THIS PIECE IN THE INTERNET.

THANK YOU !!!

8.27.10

By liijong

Highest Rank

I play the piano, and NO I am not Asian. He is playing the bass part of the piece with his left foot. I can tell this from the position of his foot on the keyboard, which is the key to how he is playing. There is never sufficient time that the camera is on him when one can watch all of the toeing(fingering), but from what is shown one can see that the melody line is played by his right foot(position is correct).

For my part, I doubt that I could play this piece now with both my hands which are now arthritic.

I really hope that this is real, and even if he is only playing the bass part with his left foot what a paean to the human spirit.

May we all be as unconquerable by our setbacks!!!