By Mary Malloy
He introduced himself to his audience, announced his next selection and, afterward, took a bow. There was no sheet music on the shiny black grand piano in the large room, only a talented musician intent on hitting the right notes from memory, and pleasing his audience.
In a recent performance at the Atria of Lynbrook, an assisted-living facility, 9-year-old Malverne resident James Phillips, a fourth-grade student at Davison Avenue Elementary School in Lynbrook, accomplished both.
James started playing around on the piano when he was 2, and has taken lessons since he was 6. He began coming to the Atria to play for his grandmother, Dora Phillips, but his senior fan club steadily grew. "Maybe if someone is sad," James said, "I can make them happy." The residents call him "Piano Boy," and look forward to his visits.
"I enjoyed his music right from the beginning," said Ethel Boses, 93. "He is marvelous. I like it very much."
James's biggest fan, however, is his grandmother, who said that music is in their blood. Her son Mark Phillips, James's father, had a rock 'n' roll band in high school, Dora said. "They would practice at my house, and everything on the mantelpiece would shake," she recalled, laughing. James also gets his love of music from his mother, Mary, who has played keyboard in various bands. He has an older brother, Mark, 28 (whom James describes as a "grownup"), who plays guitar.
"James has perfect pitch," Mary said. "He can name a note just by hearing it once, like this" - and she demonstrated by vocalizing one note.
"A flat!" her son responded.
"Music comes so naturally to him that it amazes me," Mary said.
James studies piano with musician Michael Capobianco, president of Fatboy Hits Music Group in Brooklyn. His favorite composers include Schumann, Bach, Schubert and Mozart.
When he finished his recent performance at the Atria, he immediately went to sit beside his grandmother. "We all look forward to him coming," said Dora. "He enjoys playing for us, and we love having him here."
Asked if might want to be a musician when he grows up, James answered, "Yes," and then added, "Or maybe a baseball player.
"If I left music, it would be hard to get back to it. I want to keep people entertained - and that's the bottom line."
Comments about this story? MMalloy@
liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.
