July 31, 2025 • 33 mins
At just 11 years old, Adam Elfadl—pianist, composer, and published author—is already living his legacy. Born in Beirut and raised in Sylvania/Toledo, Adam began piano lessons at age four and published his first book, A Trip Through Time: The Great Composers of Piano, by age ten. Now with multiple books and original compositions to his name, he joins Voices of Legacy for his first-ever on-air interview to share his passion for music, storytelling, and inspiring young minds.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chosen-generation-radio-current-shows--2089385/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/chosen-generation-radio-current-shows--2089385/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome to the voices of the legacy, where you're living
your legacy every day that you live. We are very
pleased to have a very well can I say, a
talented young man? And when I say young you'll be
kind of surprised. Mister Adam Ethidol, Did I get it
right at him? Yes, all right? Born in January the
(00:46):
twelfth of twenty thirteen in Beirut, now growing up in
Sylvania and Toledo, Ohio, is already making waves as an author,
a pianist, and composer. Is that right?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Wow. He began piano lessons at an age of four
at fourteen music right here in the great city of Toledo, Ohio,
Lucas County under who's your.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Mentor, missus Melanie's and tukh awesome. I think I know
who that is and I'll tell you why later. By
the age of ten, he had published was a Trip
through Time the Great Composers of Piano, featuring both biographies
and his own original music. Also, he has a number
(01:30):
of books we're going to be talking about today, mister Adam,
tell us more about you.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
So, like you said, my name is Adam Offuto. I
was born in January twelve, twenty thirteen, and I have
published over four books. Now my fifth one I just
started with chapter seven, and I have a lot of
musical compositions seven right now, and I'm planning to write more.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Is your last book fiction or is it a biography?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Or it is historical fiction? My fifth one will be
something different. I'm trying a new thing out.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Wow. So do you like fiction or you like a
mixture of both.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I like a mixture of both. Yeah, and I feel
like fiction is more complex.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yes, it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
It is.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
What's your favorite author outside of yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I don't have one in mind, but if I went
to say something, it probably the author of the hair
Potty books.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Ah, okay, awesome, awesome, awesome. I think I like Mario Puzo.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
If you've never read them, Yeah, I have one of
his books.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yeah, very very good. And Tom Clancy. Tom Clancy's very
good and writing that same type of kind of like
a fiction mix with reality so much so it seems
like it's real type thing. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Well
to the music, we're going to listen to a piece.
Can you tell us about this first piece?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
So, the name of it is Pederal's a Blessing and
I wrote it around when I was around eleven years old.
It was one of the most inspiring ones I made.
And it's the name comes behind actually my sister Ah.
So you know, I tried to incorp braider and tour
and yeah, it's a very beautiful piece.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh wow, that sounds amazing. Well, let's listen to Pedals
of Blessings and that was Pedals of Blessings. That was awesome, awesome, awesome,
(04:34):
And you can kind of feel the emotion in what
you're playing. You must really love your sister, right, Well,
not all kids.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Do most of the time.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Oh man. And so you began piano at four and
published your first book by nine. Did you start playing
before you went to forte or after?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
So when I got to fourteen school was the first
time I played piano.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Wow, that's amazing at the age of four. Yes, awesome.
So what do you enjoy more, the writing or the playing?
That's a hard question.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, probably both. There's not really a better of the two.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
So if well, I won't say if when your book
becomes a movie later on, Oh, it's more than possible.
You can compose the music, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
That's what I was thinking about. One of my compositions,
The one that Blows It Back, is the name of
one of my books, and so it kind of matches
the overall summary of what happens.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
That's awesome. Tell us which are the books that you've
written do you like the most, and tell us a
little bit about the story without of course giving it away.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, it has to be the last two books I made,
The Wind that Blows It Back and The Storms of
the Past. It's the time I started writing fiction books,
historical fiction. And it's like a story. It's an emotional
story between the friendship, like you know how dramatic stuff
can be, especially in hurricanes natural disasters. Yeah, and a
mixed with that, you know, love, compassion, betrayal, even at
(06:09):
the end.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Sounds like Twister.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, pretty much.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It's awesome. Well, in regards to the wind blowing, if
we could get to that second piece, if we could
listen to breathing out, that'd be great. That was amazing.
(08:24):
Oh my goodness, So the wind is blowing and you're
breathing out. That's really good. It sounds like you really
really enjoy playing. Do you play any other instruments?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I you know, not as much as the piano. Like
I've played a little bit of their cord and violin
and you know guitar too.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
So and you have your music published as well, yes,
some of it. And so is it only piano or
is it you're playing piano with accompaniment.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Currently it's only piano. Oh okay, okay, maybe in the
future all out of violin.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
That would be nice. The first composition the Parthenon, connecting
the music with the Greek mythology. What inspired you to
use that unique thing?
Speaker 2 (09:08):
So? Greek mythology was something on my mind a lot,
and learning that, you know, the Parthenon was a place
where there was a lot of music, and especially there
was a lot of festivals and stuff like that. So
I said, how about a makeup like compose something that
you know, mixes that feeling into it. So we don't
really have any Greek music, but with the style that's
(09:29):
on right now, I kind of incorporated into it.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Wow, who knows you might get a chance to play there.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, you never know. Have you been to Grees I
think I have.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I was very young and you're from Beirut, yes, but
you haven't been back since you were a child or
have you.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Been back since since? I think was the last when
I was four years old.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Though, so I spent some time then because now you're
how old?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Twelve?
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Awesome, so you're almost a teenager thinking about driving yet,
well it's common, not too soon, not too soon. We'll
focus on the music, the trip through time, you explore
the composer Bach to the modern day. I guess which
(10:18):
composer's story impacted you the most.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
It has to be Glenn Gold and why because Glenn
Gold he was disabled at a very young age, and
yet he still played the piano, and if you listen
to his music, you can almost feel like the pain
and some of the sorrow into it. But most of
his pieces are actually happy. Yeah. I remember in part
of a story that he was necessarily bullied, but more
(10:43):
like shamed upon and he put that like sorrow and
that pain inside his music.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
So you're not only compose, but you truly study the
history of music as well, and that's extremely helpful if
you're really going to dig into it to know how
did it come about and what's the And you really
do feel all of the great composers, you feel their
stories in their music. It's almost like they're talking to you,
isn't it. Yeah? I enjoyed that. Have you Where have
(11:11):
you played since you've been here in the States.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
I've played at multiple nursing homes. I've played at many
actual businesses. I've played at the opening of Fremont Federal
Credit Union. I've played at Finch and Fern at one
of their events. Yeah. I've also played at many other
concerts and recitals.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So what's been your favorite engagement thus far or most interesting?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Probably Finer and why because people there were super nice.
It's a bookstore, so yes, and you know there was
space for me to play. It was very nice and
it was pretty busy too.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Wow, So you can foresee doing other engagements. What's your signature?
Is it the tie, the head, or just you?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Probably the tie, the tie, I actually know the hat.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Probably the hatch. Yeah, that catches attention because you don't
see eleven or twelve year old wearing a tie, for instance,
but definitely not almost a Fedora type of hat. That's
pretty cool. I like that style. Can you tell us
about the writing process and how it came about that
you became interested in writing?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
So reading books was one of the main things I did,
especially at a really young age. I remember I used
to read chapter books at the range of five, even
like even less than that. But yeah, it's just been
like the early stage of life. And so I got
and got used to reading books. My mom would catch
me a lot under the pillow or under the blanket
reading books at night. Oh wow, yeah, I remember. It's
(12:42):
like a feeling that once I pick up a book,
I need to finish reading it. There's no other thing.
And so at the age of nine, we moved into
a new house and this house had a granite countertop.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, And I didn't know that at that time. So
I asked my mom and she told me it was
GRANTEDE Confused, I went upstairs, of course, and I searched
it up. With that came multiple websites that had different
types of rocks or uses and stuff like that. And
I didn't know at first what I was doing, but
I just continued to write it down on a document
or even on piece of paper. More and more research
came about, and I had maybe around thirty pages of
(13:16):
just full on research and I showed it to my
mother and she said that she needs to show this,
you know, she needs to show this talent that I have,
and so I continued researching, and she continued to like
find ways to publish my book. And eventually, not only
did I go through rocks, I also went to minerals, gemstones,
even some types of trees and how they you know,
(13:37):
what's inside of them, you know, basically everything. And eventually
I had maybe around one hundred two hundred pages of
just full on research and we published that to make
the first book.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Wow, So your natural inquisitive nature pretty much led you
to you, Yes, start writing.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
It's just thought and it turns into a wow.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Wow Wow. Well I'm amazed at what you're doing, but
I'm very much looking forward to what you're going to
do with that. So you do research online and it
brings the book to life pretty yes, awesome. So to
the third piece for today, can you tell us something
about this composition?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yes, So, my the third book that I also made,
the Wind that Blows Back, It has a very like
roller coasters theme. You know, there's twists and turns and
so in the song. I don't want to spoil it,
but you know it takes a path. Yeah, and you
can feel it with every you know, count and measure
it's a very emotional. I remember making it. I was
(14:38):
almost trying to like looking back at the book, what
did the book do? How did I make the characters?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
And so I play the story?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yes, awesome, summarizing awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Well, let's listen to the wind that blows back.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
To my botta name lost.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And we are back. That is an amazing piece. Mister Adam,
thank you. I don't use the word pride very often
because it has a negative connotation, but I should say
that you should be very proud of what you've composed.
It's really good. How do you position yourself for your future?
What do you think you're going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
So I'm going to continue being an author, and I'm
going to continue being a pianist. That's you know, Setton Ground.
Throughout the years, I've been interested in engineering, and I
catch myself, you know, studying more about it, just not
like it's like an instinct almost, And I researched some
jobs in aerospace. Engineering was on my like watch list.
(19:07):
I was interested in space and I'm also interested in engineering.
So combine the vote and you get aerospace.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Well you're just young enough you might make that Mars
mission whenever it comes up, you never know, so piano writing, learning,
What would you say to people your age and maybe
a little bit younger the importance of reading, that's very important.
How would you encourage them to read?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
So just wanted to say this, it's been on my mind.
So nowadays there's a lot of electronics involved in kids' lives,
especially you know consoles, you know, PlayStation xbox and I
used to have that actually, but it was like around
like ten, you know, yeah, like and it was limited
amount of time, only in the summer, and so maybe
(19:51):
like an hour a day I would sit on it,
you know, have fun. But this year, after I've you know,
matured enough to like look at the effects, I spent
two weeks before throwing it. It was really I felt
like my time was being wasted on something that, you know.
And the reason real reason why people, I feel like
people go on the consoles it's there's no monitoring, yes,
(20:14):
you know, there's no one watching saying no, don't do this,
don't do that, you know, and it's unhealthy, like seven
hours a day too much?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
How old are you again?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
So yeah, after two weeks I threw it away and
I saw already the astronomical difference. I was able to
start my fifth book already on chapter seven, and I
felt like I was free, almost like I wasn't trapped.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
It's an addiction, it is, I guess. It's a better
investment of your time, yes, to do other things that
are actually productive. And there's nothing that's going to come
from playing video games other than what another game, I
guess is the only thing.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That you can and it's a way to escape reality,
but in a very unhealthy way.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Well, you can write to escape. One of the things
that brought me at a young age as well to
reading as an important part of my life is I
saw my grandfather do it. I saw my father a
reading at a library has a library which I own now,
is that you got to paint the pictures of what
you're reading in your head. And there's no movie on television, there's.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Nothing telling you don't see this is how it's supposed
to be. No, you see it, you imagine it.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Yes, And it's valuable to do that, and it kind
of spurs on the creative juices inside of you. So
I'm in agreement with you at fifty four, your twelve.
It's very important reading, is I guess they say fundamental.
Hopefully it's not copywritten, but it is. It's so important
that not only children read, but I would encourage even
(21:42):
adults to read more.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I wanted to say that it's come so reading has
been so like a part of me in writing that
I don't even go to libraries. I cannot stand the
thing of borrowing a book and not keeping it for
myself on Christmas. There's nothing all in my mind except
for you know, the fifth book of the Hunger Games,
for example. Uh, that was I think I was honestly
(22:06):
the first one who bought it.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Yeah. I remember when people used to wait like they
do now for like iPhones, they used to wait on
for books. Yeah, we had new books, and I don't
think they do that much anymore. You know, speaking English
and Spanish and what other languages do you speak?
Speaker 2 (22:22):
I speak a little bit of French and Arabic.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Oh wow, so you're multi lingual. Does that influence your
music and writing? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Actually I play a lot of compositions that are French
sometimes Italian, and I've played like a bunch of Arab
pieces too.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So your heritage, your your your lineage?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yes, what is that heritage is? Like what my parents
listen to I'm part of it. So it's like kind
of boost me and like making music encouraging you.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah, yes, it's interesting. So you speak multiple languages and
it does influence your music. Yeah, that's amazing. So your
parents are a pretty big part of your life.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yes, especially my mother. She was the one who convinced,
actually fourteen music school, that a four year old should
be playing piano. At first, the age woman was six
years old, except my mom encouraged them. And so now
I'm here with the same teacher for over eight years
and I learned now pretty recently, actually they changed the
how old you should be?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
What is it now?
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Four?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Oh my goodness, So that's the Adam rule at fourte.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
So and also she was the one who like spent
a lot of time publishing. You know, I'm not really
social media because I can't, you know, I'm focusing on
school and other stuff. And so she handles that part.
She you know, arranges things, makes phone calls, you know,
basically arranges my financial and social life while I focus
on my work.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
That's amazing. And your parents are still relatively young.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, so you've got a pretty good situation there. You've
got a manager that actually cares about you, well more
than cares about you, and that's a blessing. Who are
your piano role models and musical heroes of today today,
not the past. We'd covered the past right today. Marcelo
(24:11):
really and you know I'm going to ask you why.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yes, So Marcelo he made a lot of box He's
like arranges them. They're super old, so they're fragile, so
he translates them and makes them more you know, modern.
He also composes. Actually, he was the one who inspired
me to play a lot of back, especially the concerto
and D minor. I played that from one of my recitals,
(24:35):
and also the Imperial Orchestra awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
As a young creator, what challenges have you faced? And
we've talked about the great stuff and the and the motivational,
but nothing good comes without some challenges.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah. I think the most challenging part is what, you know,
I need to get over it. What other people think,
you know, going to school and seeing people who are
jealous sometimes who like like pray on my downfall, I
should say, it kind of hurts, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Another challenge is like people don't see the youth, their
opportunities and what they can be like for how like
I've seen people who see a kid, for example, me
who's selling books. They're not gonna think that the book
is like better than all the other ones they've read.
They're gonna think it may be lower.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Level, lower expectations.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yeah, but now that at least some people have read
my books and seen the level it's been helping out
a lot. Another big obstacle has to be myself. Actually,
you know there's some days where I write, I keep writing,
and I kind of lose myself.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Get that writer's block.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No, no, the opposite.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Oh wow, so you just keep writing, writing, writing, And yeah, well, well,
I guess that's a good problem. And even what you mentioned,
and I guess I'm finding myself relating to you. I
don't play or anything like that, but I was seen
as gifted and talented at very young age. I was
painting at the Toledo Museum of Art for the University
(26:04):
of Toledo, and I was maybe twelve with college students,
and I felt exactly how you felt. I'm going back
to mctige Junior High School with other kids and they're like, oh,
you're painting naked women. I'm like, well, it's a model,
she's nude, but I'm not thinking about that. I'm trying
to make my composition as best as I could. Yes,
(26:26):
and the only thing they saw was you're paying naked women. Look,
I think if this is just my suggestion to you
in this conversation, see the challenges as opportunities. How people
perceive you. Yes, always an opportunity, even if it's negative.
If they're giving you attention, you have the responsibility of
what to use with that attention. Yes, it's a blessing.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, I wanted to just share a couple of things
like or the wisdom awesome. Yes, I learned that throughout,
you know, my music career. Music is for everyone. Yes,
I've been to a lot of nursing homes. I've been
to actual people who are you know, disabled, special needs,
and I realized that I don't need to speak words
for them to understand. Music is a language that everyone
(27:10):
could speak. I'm just gonna say that someone from Italy,
you know, may not speak my language, I might not
speak their language, but we can speak in music. Yes,
and music has actually united a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
It has and does. Yes, even what you've played which
leads us to the very last, and I want to
get to your words of wisdom. Mark that what is
the name of this last piece?
Speaker 2 (27:33):
The name of this the last piece is so sly heavy.
It's a French piece and translated to English, it's under
the Dream. It's a very more happy piece. It's supposed
to symbolize what I'm trying to compose for my fifth book,
actually trying to follow the guidelines almost and it's starting to,
(27:56):
you know, make sense in my mind.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Under the dream, let's hear it. And that was mister
(29:50):
Adam playing live right here at W. G. T. E Studios, Toledo, Ohio.
So you you have additional words of wisdom to lead
with us.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
For every kid who's out there who may not know
their purpose. Almost in life, I wanted to say that
every every step or every you know, passion is an opportunity.
So even at a young age, like there was a
point in life where I didn't know where I want
to go. I was stuck, you know, and so I
(30:20):
took the opportunity to look at reading. And then the
first book came out, then music, then the second, and
more compositions came out, and so now I'm looking at engineering,
you know, as a lifetime thing and it's putting its
way together. So yeah, I take every opportunity.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And turn into something good. Yes, yes, do you have
any colleges in mind? Have you been thinking about?
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Yes? Yale, Yale, and Mit.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Going straight to the top. Awesome. I think you're going
to do it well. Listen, Adam. I'm so thankful that
you decided to come and spend some time with us
today and share your music, share your books, and share
your compositions, and you and you and that amazing mind
of yours. Your parents must be very proud of you.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yes, I think so, and your sister too, one of
these days when she gets a little bit older. But
thank you so much. Did you have anything else that
you want to share with us today?
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Thank you for everyone who's listening. This was a beautiful
opportunity and I hope that I can make the most
out of it.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Awesome, Awesome, that's Adam, Adam. How are you say you're
in your last name again?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
L fuddle, L futtle.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
I'm going to get it right one of these days.
Thank you so much again for coming on with us
on the voices of Legacy, where you listener, are well
creating your legacy every day that you live. Please be
kind to someone today and we'll see you the next time.
(32:00):
Thank you for listening to the Voices of Legacy. This
is your friend, Pastor Carl Mitchell, the third, your host
of this program. We want you to go to WGTE
dot org slash legacy to like, share, subscribe, and hear
all of our past podcast and our future podcast. Be
a friend and join with us in the Voices of
(32:23):
Legacy where you're writing your own legacy every day that
you will have a blessing. WGTE Voices around us
Welcome to the voices of the legacy, where you're living
your legacy every day that you live. We are very
pleased to have a very well can I say, a
talented young man? And when I say young you'll be
kind of surprised. Mister Adam Ethidol, Did I get it
right at him? Yes, all right? Born in January the
(00:46):
twelfth of twenty thirteen in Beirut, now growing up in
Sylvania and Toledo, Ohio, is already making waves as an author,
a pianist, and composer. Is that right?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yep?
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Wow. He began piano lessons at an age of four
at fourteen music right here in the great city of Toledo, Ohio,
Lucas County under who's your.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Mentor, missus Melanie's and tukh awesome. I think I know
who that is and I'll tell you why later. By
the age of ten, he had published was a Trip
through Time the Great Composers of Piano, featuring both biographies
and his own original music. Also, he has a number
(01:30):
of books we're going to be talking about today, mister Adam,
tell us more about you.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
So, like you said, my name is Adam Offuto. I
was born in January twelve, twenty thirteen, and I have
published over four books. Now my fifth one I just
started with chapter seven, and I have a lot of
musical compositions seven right now, and I'm planning to write more.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Is your last book fiction or is it a biography?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Or it is historical fiction? My fifth one will be
something different. I'm trying a new thing out.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Wow. So do you like fiction or you like a
mixture of both.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I like a mixture of both. Yeah, and I feel
like fiction is more complex.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yes, it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
It is.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
What's your favorite author outside of yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I don't have one in mind, but if I went
to say something, it probably the author of the hair
Potty books.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Ah, okay, awesome, awesome, awesome. I think I like Mario Puzo.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
If you've never read them, Yeah, I have one of
his books.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yeah, very very good. And Tom Clancy. Tom Clancy's very
good and writing that same type of kind of like
a fiction mix with reality so much so it seems
like it's real type thing. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Well
to the music, we're going to listen to a piece.
Can you tell us about this first piece?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
So, the name of it is Pederal's a Blessing and
I wrote it around when I was around eleven years old.
It was one of the most inspiring ones I made.
And it's the name comes behind actually my sister Ah.
So you know, I tried to incorp braider and tour
and yeah, it's a very beautiful piece.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Oh wow, that sounds amazing. Well, let's listen to Pedals
of Blessings and that was Pedals of Blessings. That was awesome, awesome, awesome,
(04:34):
And you can kind of feel the emotion in what
you're playing. You must really love your sister, right, Well,
not all kids.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Do most of the time.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Oh man. And so you began piano at four and
published your first book by nine. Did you start playing
before you went to forte or after?
Speaker 2 (04:55):
So when I got to fourteen school was the first
time I played piano.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Wow, that's amazing at the age of four. Yes, awesome.
So what do you enjoy more, the writing or the playing?
That's a hard question.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Yeah, probably both. There's not really a better of the two.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
So if well, I won't say if when your book
becomes a movie later on, Oh, it's more than possible.
You can compose the music, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
That's what I was thinking about. One of my compositions,
The one that Blows It Back, is the name of
one of my books, and so it kind of matches
the overall summary of what happens.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
That's awesome. Tell us which are the books that you've
written do you like the most, and tell us a
little bit about the story without of course giving it away.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah, it has to be the last two books I made,
The Wind that Blows It Back and The Storms of
the Past. It's the time I started writing fiction books,
historical fiction. And it's like a story. It's an emotional
story between the friendship, like you know how dramatic stuff
can be, especially in hurricanes natural disasters. Yeah, and a
mixed with that, you know, love, compassion, betrayal, even at
(06:09):
the end.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Sounds like Twister.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, pretty much.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
It's awesome. Well, in regards to the wind blowing, if
we could get to that second piece, if we could
listen to breathing out, that'd be great. That was amazing.
(08:24):
Oh my goodness, So the wind is blowing and you're
breathing out. That's really good. It sounds like you really
really enjoy playing. Do you play any other instruments?
Speaker 2 (08:36):
I you know, not as much as the piano. Like
I've played a little bit of their cord and violin
and you know guitar too.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
So and you have your music published as well, yes,
some of it. And so is it only piano or
is it you're playing piano with accompaniment.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Currently it's only piano. Oh okay, okay, maybe in the
future all out of violin.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
That would be nice. The first composition the Parthenon, connecting
the music with the Greek mythology. What inspired you to
use that unique thing?
Speaker 2 (09:08):
So? Greek mythology was something on my mind a lot,
and learning that, you know, the Parthenon was a place
where there was a lot of music, and especially there
was a lot of festivals and stuff like that. So
I said, how about a makeup like compose something that
you know, mixes that feeling into it. So we don't
really have any Greek music, but with the style that's
(09:29):
on right now, I kind of incorporated into it.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Wow, who knows you might get a chance to play there.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, you never know. Have you been to Grees I
think I have.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
I was very young and you're from Beirut, yes, but
you haven't been back since you were a child or
have you.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Been back since since? I think was the last when
I was four years old.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Though, so I spent some time then because now you're
how old?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Twelve?
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Awesome, so you're almost a teenager thinking about driving yet,
well it's common, not too soon, not too soon. We'll
focus on the music, the trip through time, you explore
the composer Bach to the modern day. I guess which
(10:18):
composer's story impacted you the most.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
It has to be Glenn Gold and why because Glenn
Gold he was disabled at a very young age, and
yet he still played the piano, and if you listen
to his music, you can almost feel like the pain
and some of the sorrow into it. But most of
his pieces are actually happy. Yeah. I remember in part
of a story that he was necessarily bullied, but more
(10:43):
like shamed upon and he put that like sorrow and
that pain inside his music.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
So you're not only compose, but you truly study the
history of music as well, and that's extremely helpful if
you're really going to dig into it to know how
did it come about and what's the And you really
do feel all of the great composers, you feel their
stories in their music. It's almost like they're talking to you,
isn't it. Yeah? I enjoyed that. Have you Where have
(11:11):
you played since you've been here in the States.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
I've played at multiple nursing homes. I've played at many
actual businesses. I've played at the opening of Fremont Federal
Credit Union. I've played at Finch and Fern at one
of their events. Yeah. I've also played at many other
concerts and recitals.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So what's been your favorite engagement thus far or most interesting?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Probably Finer and why because people there were super nice.
It's a bookstore, so yes, and you know there was
space for me to play. It was very nice and
it was pretty busy too.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Wow, So you can foresee doing other engagements. What's your signature?
Is it the tie, the head, or just you?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Probably the tie, the tie, I actually know the hat.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Probably the hatch. Yeah, that catches attention because you don't
see eleven or twelve year old wearing a tie, for instance,
but definitely not almost a Fedora type of hat. That's
pretty cool. I like that style. Can you tell us
about the writing process and how it came about that
you became interested in writing?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
So reading books was one of the main things I did,
especially at a really young age. I remember I used
to read chapter books at the range of five, even
like even less than that. But yeah, it's just been
like the early stage of life. And so I got
and got used to reading books. My mom would catch
me a lot under the pillow or under the blanket
reading books at night. Oh wow, yeah, I remember. It's
(12:42):
like a feeling that once I pick up a book,
I need to finish reading it. There's no other thing.
And so at the age of nine, we moved into
a new house and this house had a granite countertop.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, And I didn't know that at that time. So
I asked my mom and she told me it was
GRANTEDE Confused, I went upstairs, of course, and I searched
it up. With that came multiple websites that had different
types of rocks or uses and stuff like that. And
I didn't know at first what I was doing, but
I just continued to write it down on a document
or even on piece of paper. More and more research
came about, and I had maybe around thirty pages of
(13:16):
just full on research and I showed it to my
mother and she said that she needs to show this,
you know, she needs to show this talent that I have,
and so I continued researching, and she continued to like
find ways to publish my book. And eventually, not only
did I go through rocks, I also went to minerals, gemstones,
even some types of trees and how they you know,
(13:37):
what's inside of them, you know, basically everything. And eventually
I had maybe around one hundred two hundred pages of
just full on research and we published that to make
the first book.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Wow, So your natural inquisitive nature pretty much led you
to you, Yes, start writing.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
It's just thought and it turns into a wow.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Wow Wow. Well I'm amazed at what you're doing, but
I'm very much looking forward to what you're going to
do with that. So you do research online and it
brings the book to life pretty yes, awesome. So to
the third piece for today, can you tell us something
about this composition?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yes, So, my the third book that I also made,
the Wind that Blows Back, It has a very like
roller coasters theme. You know, there's twists and turns and
so in the song. I don't want to spoil it,
but you know it takes a path. Yeah, and you
can feel it with every you know, count and measure
it's a very emotional. I remember making it. I was
(14:38):
almost trying to like looking back at the book, what
did the book do? How did I make the characters?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
And so I play the story?
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yes, awesome, summarizing awesome.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Well, let's listen to the wind that blows back.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
To my botta name lost.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And we are back. That is an amazing piece. Mister Adam,
thank you. I don't use the word pride very often
because it has a negative connotation, but I should say
that you should be very proud of what you've composed.
It's really good. How do you position yourself for your future?
What do you think you're going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
So I'm going to continue being an author, and I'm
going to continue being a pianist. That's you know, Setton Ground.
Throughout the years, I've been interested in engineering, and I
catch myself, you know, studying more about it, just not
like it's like an instinct almost, And I researched some
jobs in aerospace. Engineering was on my like watch list.
(19:07):
I was interested in space and I'm also interested in engineering.
So combine the vote and you get aerospace.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Well you're just young enough you might make that Mars
mission whenever it comes up, you never know, so piano writing, learning,
What would you say to people your age and maybe
a little bit younger the importance of reading, that's very important.
How would you encourage them to read?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
So just wanted to say this, it's been on my mind.
So nowadays there's a lot of electronics involved in kids' lives,
especially you know consoles, you know, PlayStation xbox and I
used to have that actually, but it was like around
like ten, you know, yeah, like and it was limited
amount of time, only in the summer, and so maybe
(19:51):
like an hour a day I would sit on it,
you know, have fun. But this year, after I've you know,
matured enough to like look at the effects, I spent
two weeks before throwing it. It was really I felt
like my time was being wasted on something that, you know.
And the reason real reason why people, I feel like
people go on the consoles it's there's no monitoring, yes,
(20:14):
you know, there's no one watching saying no, don't do this,
don't do that, you know, and it's unhealthy, like seven
hours a day too much?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
How old are you again?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
So yeah, after two weeks I threw it away and
I saw already the astronomical difference. I was able to
start my fifth book already on chapter seven, and I
felt like I was free, almost like I wasn't trapped.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
It's an addiction, it is, I guess. It's a better
investment of your time, yes, to do other things that
are actually productive. And there's nothing that's going to come
from playing video games other than what another game, I
guess is the only thing.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That you can and it's a way to escape reality,
but in a very unhealthy way.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Well, you can write to escape. One of the things
that brought me at a young age as well to
reading as an important part of my life is I
saw my grandfather do it. I saw my father a
reading at a library has a library which I own now,
is that you got to paint the pictures of what
you're reading in your head. And there's no movie on television, there's.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Nothing telling you don't see this is how it's supposed
to be. No, you see it, you imagine it.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Yes, And it's valuable to do that, and it kind
of spurs on the creative juices inside of you. So
I'm in agreement with you at fifty four, your twelve.
It's very important reading, is I guess they say fundamental.
Hopefully it's not copywritten, but it is. It's so important
that not only children read, but I would encourage even
(21:42):
adults to read more.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
I wanted to say that it's come so reading has
been so like a part of me in writing that
I don't even go to libraries. I cannot stand the
thing of borrowing a book and not keeping it for
myself on Christmas. There's nothing all in my mind except
for you know, the fifth book of the Hunger Games,
for example. Uh, that was I think I was honestly
(22:06):
the first one who bought it.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Yeah. I remember when people used to wait like they
do now for like iPhones, they used to wait on
for books. Yeah, we had new books, and I don't
think they do that much anymore. You know, speaking English
and Spanish and what other languages do you speak?
Speaker 2 (22:22):
I speak a little bit of French and Arabic.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Oh wow, so you're multi lingual. Does that influence your
music and writing? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (22:29):
Actually I play a lot of compositions that are French
sometimes Italian, and I've played like a bunch of Arab
pieces too.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
So your heritage, your your your lineage?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yes, what is that heritage is? Like what my parents
listen to I'm part of it. So it's like kind
of boost me and like making music encouraging you.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah, yes, it's interesting. So you speak multiple languages and
it does influence your music. Yeah, that's amazing. So your
parents are a pretty big part of your life.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yes, especially my mother. She was the one who convinced,
actually fourteen music school, that a four year old should
be playing piano. At first, the age woman was six
years old, except my mom encouraged them. And so now
I'm here with the same teacher for over eight years
and I learned now pretty recently, actually they changed the
how old you should be?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
What is it now?
Speaker 2 (23:22):
Four?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Oh my goodness, So that's the Adam rule at fourte.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
So and also she was the one who like spent
a lot of time publishing. You know, I'm not really
social media because I can't, you know, I'm focusing on
school and other stuff. And so she handles that part.
She you know, arranges things, makes phone calls, you know,
basically arranges my financial and social life while I focus
on my work.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
That's amazing. And your parents are still relatively young.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, so you've got a pretty good situation there. You've
got a manager that actually cares about you, well more
than cares about you, and that's a blessing. Who are
your piano role models and musical heroes of today today,
not the past. We'd covered the past right today. Marcelo
(24:11):
really and you know I'm going to ask you why.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yes, So Marcelo he made a lot of box He's
like arranges them. They're super old, so they're fragile, so
he translates them and makes them more you know, modern.
He also composes. Actually, he was the one who inspired
me to play a lot of back, especially the concerto
and D minor. I played that from one of my recitals,
(24:35):
and also the Imperial Orchestra awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
As a young creator, what challenges have you faced? And
we've talked about the great stuff and the and the motivational,
but nothing good comes without some challenges.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah. I think the most challenging part is what, you know,
I need to get over it. What other people think,
you know, going to school and seeing people who are
jealous sometimes who like like pray on my downfall, I
should say, it kind of hurts, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Another challenge is like people don't see the youth, their
opportunities and what they can be like for how like
I've seen people who see a kid, for example, me
who's selling books. They're not gonna think that the book
is like better than all the other ones they've read.
They're gonna think it may be lower.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Level, lower expectations.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yeah, but now that at least some people have read
my books and seen the level it's been helping out
a lot. Another big obstacle has to be myself. Actually,
you know there's some days where I write, I keep writing,
and I kind of lose myself.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Get that writer's block.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No, no, the opposite.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Oh wow, so you just keep writing, writing, writing, And yeah, well, well,
I guess that's a good problem. And even what you mentioned,
and I guess I'm finding myself relating to you. I
don't play or anything like that, but I was seen
as gifted and talented at very young age. I was
painting at the Toledo Museum of Art for the University
(26:04):
of Toledo, and I was maybe twelve with college students,
and I felt exactly how you felt. I'm going back
to mctige Junior High School with other kids and they're like, oh,
you're painting naked women. I'm like, well, it's a model,
she's nude, but I'm not thinking about that. I'm trying
to make my composition as best as I could. Yes,
(26:26):
and the only thing they saw was you're paying naked women. Look,
I think if this is just my suggestion to you
in this conversation, see the challenges as opportunities. How people
perceive you. Yes, always an opportunity, even if it's negative.
If they're giving you attention, you have the responsibility of
what to use with that attention. Yes, it's a blessing.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Yeah, I wanted to just share a couple of things
like or the wisdom awesome. Yes, I learned that throughout,
you know, my music career. Music is for everyone. Yes,
I've been to a lot of nursing homes. I've been
to actual people who are you know, disabled, special needs,
and I realized that I don't need to speak words
for them to understand. Music is a language that everyone
(27:10):
could speak. I'm just gonna say that someone from Italy,
you know, may not speak my language, I might not
speak their language, but we can speak in music. Yes,
and music has actually united a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
It has and does. Yes, even what you've played which
leads us to the very last, and I want to
get to your words of wisdom. Mark that what is
the name of this last piece?
Speaker 2 (27:33):
The name of this the last piece is so sly heavy.
It's a French piece and translated to English, it's under
the Dream. It's a very more happy piece. It's supposed
to symbolize what I'm trying to compose for my fifth book,
actually trying to follow the guidelines almost and it's starting to,
(27:56):
you know, make sense in my mind.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Under the dream, let's hear it. And that was mister
(29:50):
Adam playing live right here at W. G. T. E Studios, Toledo, Ohio.
So you you have additional words of wisdom to lead
with us.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
For every kid who's out there who may not know
their purpose. Almost in life, I wanted to say that
every every step or every you know, passion is an opportunity.
So even at a young age, like there was a
point in life where I didn't know where I want
to go. I was stuck, you know, and so I
(30:20):
took the opportunity to look at reading. And then the
first book came out, then music, then the second, and
more compositions came out, and so now I'm looking at engineering,
you know, as a lifetime thing and it's putting its
way together. So yeah, I take every opportunity.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And turn into something good. Yes, yes, do you have
any colleges in mind? Have you been thinking about?
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Yes? Yale, Yale, and Mit.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Going straight to the top. Awesome. I think you're going
to do it well. Listen, Adam. I'm so thankful that
you decided to come and spend some time with us
today and share your music, share your books, and share
your compositions, and you and you and that amazing mind
of yours. Your parents must be very proud of you.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yes, I think so, and your sister too, one of
these days when she gets a little bit older. But
thank you so much. Did you have anything else that
you want to share with us today?
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Thank you for everyone who's listening. This was a beautiful
opportunity and I hope that I can make the most
out of it.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Awesome, Awesome, that's Adam, Adam. How are you say you're
in your last name again?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
L fuddle, L futtle.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
I'm going to get it right one of these days.
Thank you so much again for coming on with us
on the voices of Legacy, where you listener, are well
creating your legacy every day that you live. Please be
kind to someone today and we'll see you the next time.
(32:00):
Thank you for listening to the Voices of Legacy. This
is your friend, Pastor Carl Mitchell, the third, your host
of this program. We want you to go to WGTE
dot org slash legacy to like, share, subscribe, and hear
all of our past podcast and our future podcast. Be
a friend and join with us in the Voices of
(32:23):
Legacy where you're writing your own legacy every day that
you will have a blessing. WGTE Voices around us
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.