An electric keyboard was gathering dust in the basement of a house in Colorado, forgotten for years. The casual touch of Jude Kofie, a nine-year-old autistic child, was enough to transform that old instrument into the spark of an extraordinary musical phenomenon. Without any formal lessons, the little boy demonstrated a natural and innate inclination towards the notes, revealing a pure talent similar to the famous savant syndrome.
The discovery of talent and the crucial meeting
The incredible skill of Jude Kofie, son of Isiah Kofie – a Ghanaian immigrant committed to supporting his family and relatives in his homeland – did not remain in the shadows for long. After an article in the local Aurora press and a performance at a talent show, the news caught Bill Magnuson’s attention. The expert piano tuner wanted to listen to the boy in person, being struck by the mastery of the performance and defining his ability as comparable to the greatness of Mozart.
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An extraordinary gift of 15 thousand dollars
Deeply impressed by Isiah Kofie’s sacrifices and the young man’s extraordinary attitude, Bill Magnuson made a decision destined to change the fate of the family forever. Using a large portion of his inheritance, the tuner purchased a grand piano worth $15,000. A truck showed up unexpectedly in front of the family’s home, delivering the instrument together with the promise of free tuning for life and support for a professional study course.
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The consecration of the young master
Bill Magnuson’s generous gesture guaranteed Jude Kofie the means necessary to refine an exceptional technique. Today, at 14 years old, the young man has become a traveling musician and has released his first recording work entitled Introducing: Jude Kofie. What began as a simple experiment on a forgotten keyboard turned into a brilliant career, made possible by the encounter between an extraordinary natural gift and the altruism of a man who believed in his future.
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