Two weekends ago when I walked into The Artists Emporium in Havre de Grace, Maryland little did I know there would be a bonus attraction other than seeing the fabulous From Italy with Love exhibit. Before my visit with oil painter Robin Capecci, while I was looking at all the wares in the gallery, a boy, his little brother and his mom walked in the doors. Gallery owner Robert Buden said hi to them as if he knew them and came over to me and quietly said, “this young man comes in after church nearly every Sunday, and plays our piano. You’ll want to listen in.” I could see the grand piano from where I stood.

Immediately I was completely blown-away and went over to talk with his mom. She told me her son, Kain (pronounced Kai-een) Felix, is twelve years old. For one-and-a-half hours this young talent went from classical composition to classical composition without any sheet music and without a break in between. One song flowed into another and I never heard one break in the music as if there was an “oops” he was trying to right. And to this untrained ear, I couldn’t detect any off notes or places where he went awry.

His mom, Claudia Felix, said she recognized his talent at 3 years old when he was given a kids toy piano. “Most children at that age,” she said, “just bang on the keys. Not him, I could see and hear that he was putting things together.” After he began playing the beginnings of a few harmonizing keys and a few very basic trills, she knew her son had something God-given. His interest has continued in music and after awhile she knew private lessons would be key to developing his talents.

Kain is drawn to classical music and is currently working with a wonderful mentor Dr. Thompson Duke of the Maryland Conservatory of Music who is teaching him to read the notes on more advanced sheet music. This has led to the beginnings of writing his own compositions.

On January 29th at 3pm at the Havre de Grace Opera House he will be making his debut public performance. Some of compositions he will play will be duets with another student, and he will also play some of the musical compositions he has written. I look forward to attending and I’m willing to bet many others are too. The Felix’s are a proud military family and it seemed especially important to Kain’s mom that I know that.

What a wonderful art-filled, spirit-filled Sunday I had. Thank you to all who made my day so completely enjoyable.