Musical savant performs at Bay Street Theatre in autism benefit concert

The soundtrack of Brittany Maier’s life has deep resonance.

With a repertoire of songs numbering in the thousands—from classical pieces to the latest chart-toppers—the young piano virtuoso continually churns out original compositions, her fingers dancing over the ivories with considerable ease, the notes crisp and melodious.

For Brittany, a Long Islander who is blind, autistic and mentally disabled, music truly is a universal language.

The young woman who did not speak her first meaningful word until she was 10 years old—when, according to her mother, Tammy, she uttered “yes” in reply to the question, “Do you want to play the piano?”—has emerged as a world-class musical savant known for bringing both domestic and international audiences to tears.

Brittany’s next performance will be her first on the East End, when she takes the stage at Sag Harbor’s Bay Street Theatre on Friday, April 2, World Autism Day. Her show, “The Awe in Autism,” is a benefit concert for the Flying Point Foundation for Autism, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of children with autism through opportunity and understanding. Kim Covell, the group’s founder and president, arranged for Brittany to come out to the East End for the benefit.

“Anyone who has not witnessed the power of God should come to this performance,” said Tammy, who views her daughter’s talents as a purely God-given blessing, particularly after Brittany unexpectedly played a flawless rendition of Franz Schubert’s classic “Ave Maria” at age 6 after hearing it once several days prior on a CD belonging to her father, Chuck.

Music spurred Brittany’s ability to crawl, a milestone she did not meet at the usual age of 6 to 10 months. When she heard music emanating from speakers across a room, though, she gravitated toward it. Tammy believes music also contributed to Brittany’s learning to talk, as she used to imitate singers she had heard.

Born four months prematurely, Brittany lost her sight as a result of receiving too much oxygen in a lifesaving effort. She was diagnosed with autism and other mental disabilities around the same time her musical gift was discovered.

A toy keyboard she got as a Christmas present kindled Brittany’s pianistic pursuits.

Since then, her talent has become ever more impressive, with appearances on “Dateline NBC,” CNN’s “Paula Zahn – Now!” and “The Montel Williams Show.” She has also performed at a baseball game at Shea Stadium, as well as at shows abroad and at schools, colleges and charitable events. She released her first album, “20/20,” at age 12, and her second, “A World of My Own,” at 17.

Brittany, who will celebrate her 21st birthday this month, which is, fittingly, Autism Awareness Month, will mostly perform songs in Sag Harbor on an as-requested basis from the audience. She knows dozens of songs by Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Elton John and Broadway showtunes, and that’s just for starters. The list goes on ad infinitum. She may also insert a few of her own compositions into the program, which will also be covered by the BBC, her mother noted.

“Her mind is somewhere between a year and 3 years old when it comes to most concepts,” said her mother, Tammy, who walks the sunglasses-clad Brittany to the piano for her recitals and provides a narrative for the audience. Her receptive language surpasses her expressive language, but what Brittany lacks in linguistic and other skills, she compensates for with her musical aptitude.

Swaying from side to side as she plays, her long brown hair swinging behind her like a metronome, Brittany responds well to her audience and thrives on their appreciation.

“The more the audience claps for her, the more excited, you see it in her face,” said Natalie Baye, the director of special programs at the Brittany Maier (pronounced MAYer) and Friends Foundation, of Brittany. “Everybody wants to go up and hug and kiss her.” Ms. Baye described a performance at Carnegie Hall in which grown men were all reduced to sobs by Brittany’s playing. “She’s considered to be one of the 20 living savants in the world today.”

Tammy describes Brittany’s personality as “euphoric” and her music as “very peaceful and heavenly.”

The Facebook wall for Brittany’s foundation is plastered with kind notes from people thanking Brittany for playing for them at Amityville and Bay Shore high schools, among others. The foundation’s Facebook presence has more than 200 fans.

Brittany practices on a $40,000 Yamaha grand piano that was donated to her through a fund-raiser by her community in South Carolina, where she and her family lived before relocating to Suffolk County in search of greater opportunities for Brittany. In order to maintain her family’s privacy, Tammy requested the family’s New York town of residence not be mentioned in this article.

At the push of a button, a recording device records Brittany’s compositions since she cannot write down the music.

“To love your family members is the most important thing. By that I mean love them for who they are. Their disability is just a part of who they are,” Tammy said. “Everyone has a purpose within them, and we were very blessed to be able to share Brittany with the world.”

“The Awe in Autism” benefit concert for the Flying Point Foundation for Autism will be presented at Bay Street Theatre on Long Wharf in Sag Harbor on Friday, April 2, at 8 p.m. The program will also include the debut of a song written especially for the Flying Point Foundation for Autism sung by “American Idol” season nine audition finalist Leah Laurenti of Medford. Tickets are $50, with a limited number of VIP tickets, which will include a post-performance wine reception, available for $100. To purchase tickets, call the box office at 631-725-9500 or visit www.baystreet.org.