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'Just by ear': Child behind viral piano performance was self taught

An 11-year-old piano prodigy whose impromptu public performance went viral has revealed he taught himself how to play by watching YouTube videos.

Louis Rebeiro was walking through the Fremantle markets with his cousins when he saw a piano and decided to have a quick jam, unknowingly attracting a huge crowd who filmed his remarkable show.

For more than eight minutes, a transfixed crowd watched on as the boy treated them to a performance you’d usually have to pay for.

“One more, one more, please,” members of the crowd begged every time he ended a song.

The 11-year-old left his impromptu audience gob-smacked with his remarkable piano skills. Source: Facebook
The 11-year-old left his impromptu audience gob-smacked with his remarkable piano skills. Source: Facebook

After watching his dad belt out tunes by Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chucky Berry, the Perth native shunned piano lessons to teach himself.

“Just by ear... I just looked up stuff on the internet and from there it just came to a basic left hand which is what you should always begin with,” Louis told Sunrise this morning.

Playing for less than two years, his mother Lorena described their star performer as an “old soul” and a “gift from god” for sharing his gift so willingly.

His cousins literally had to pull him away from the piano after eight minutes of incredible playing. Source: Facebook
His cousins literally had to pull him away from the piano after eight minutes of incredible playing. Source: Facebook
The little master gave Sunrise viewers another taste of his skills on Sunday morning. Source: Sunrise
The little master gave Sunrise viewers another taste of his skills on Sunday morning. Source: Sunrise

“We can’t believe the response Louis has had... he’s not even fazed, he just keeps saying take me back to the piano, I just want to play,” Lorena replied to the overwhelming show of support on Facebook.

The original video has since been viewed more than 20,000 times since it was shared on January 8.