At the age of 3, Edward Tomanek was given a toy tennis racket and started playing it like a violin. It was then his parents took the hint. Although he had just taken up piano, violin lessons were arranged as well.
After 4 years, the seven-year-old is a master of both instruments, passing grade 8 exams in both. He achieved a distinction in the violin exam in January, when he was still six, and received the top piano certificate over the summer.
Then, he has started learning to play the organ, practicing at the village church in Somersham, Cambridgeshire, where he lives with his parents, Stuart and Lyudmilla. He also loves composing his own pieces.
Curiously, Mr. and Mrs. Tomanek aren’t musical at all. They used to enjoy listening to classical music but had to stop as their son was always practicing.
‘When he’s got a clear run he could practice for three or four hours per instrument if we left him,’ said Russian-born Mrs. Tomanek, 34, a translator.
Edward, who has won a bursary to King’s College School in Cambridge, home of the world-famous King’s choristers, does at least put on a private concert for them each Sunday.
‘Chopin is one of my favourites,’ he said. ‘He puts a lot of emotion into his music.’
