Malibu High School junior Rex Lewis-Clack, 16, studied in two international piano academies for four weeks in Europe during the summer.
Lewis-Clack, who is blind and autistic and considered musically gifted, began his period of study with two weeks at the International Piano Academy in Freiburg, Germany, where he was one of 12 students chosen from around the world to attend. The school was founded by Vitality Margulis, the former head of piano performance at UCLA. During the academy’s student performance, Lewis-Clack played the Chopin Ballade No. 1 and was awarded a scholarship to return to the academy next summer.
Next, Lewis-Clack spent two weeks studying piano under Jura Margulis at The Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. The local newspaper did a story on his participation in the academy as well.
Lewis-Clack performed last year at U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s residence during an event in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
On Oct. 3, Lewis-Clack will be the keynote performer at the “Autism Speaks to Wall Street Celebrity Chef Gala” at the Cipriani on Wall Street in New York City.