Kyle Gatesman might be entering the second grade, but he’s already composed and performed original scores that he thought up while sitting at his family’s kitchen table.
Kyle won the Best of Braddock Elementary School Young Person of the Year award for his work composing music. School Board Member Tessie Wilson (R-Braddock) heard about his exceptional work recently at a local awards ceremony for the National PTA Reflections Arts Program. Kyle won a national award through that organization for music composition, and Wilson thought he would make a great Best of Braddock award recipient.
"He’s a neat little kid," she said. "He’s very self-poised for a first-grader, and he’s extremely articulate."
Kyle’s mother, Sue Murray, said the family is grateful to Wilson for thinking to nominate him. Kyle composed his song that won the Reflections award during the last school year. He wrote the song by hand, including the time signature, key signature, sharps, flats, rests, repeats and dynamics, said Murray, via e-mail to the Connection.
"Kyle wrote this song, and all of his songs, by hand on composition paper … all on his own," wrote Murray. "He just loves to compose music and then play it."
The PTA encourages students to pursue artistic expression and explore their artistic talents through participation in the Reflections Program. Students submit works of art in six areas under the program: literature, dance choreography, film/video production, musical composition, photography and visual arts.
Kyle developed an interest in music early in life, said Kevin Gatesman, Kyle’s father. The family has a piano in the home, and they encouraged their son to learn how to play, but they didn’t know how far he’d take it. He started with the piano around age 4, and "caught on very quickly."
Kyle has taken an interest in music in general, said Kevin Gatesman. When he first started writing his own music, Kevin Gatesman remembers his son writing out the letters for each note.
"He’s since figured out how to write the staff," he said.
The Reflections awards generated a lot of recognition for Kyle. His father said it’s sometimes easy to take his abilities for granted, since the family hears him playing all the time. All of the recognition has reminded them how incredible his abilities really are, he said.
"He’s very gifted, musically and mathematically," said Kevin Gatesman.
Kyle picked up the top Reflections award, for outstanding interpretation, at every level all the way until he reached nationals. He won outstanding interpretation at the school, district, cluster and state levels, said Murray.
Murray attributes the success of Kyle’s winning song to the faculty at Canterbury Woods Elementary, Kyle’s school. The lyrics to the song that won, entitled "First Grade is My Favorite Place," incorporated the positive experiences Kyle has at school.
"Kyle loves his school, and he loves his first grade teacher, Mrs. Lauren Tredinnick," wrote Murray. "He could not have written the lyrics for the song that he did write if it were not for the wonderful environment that the staff at Canterbury Woods create for the students there."