I found this chapter of ‘Musicophilia’ especially intriguing. I had never heard of this condition before, as is the case with most people. This is largely because this syndrome is very rare (affecting maybe one in 10,000 children), and was not formally described until 1961. Awareness is growing, as is support for families who are affected by it. Parents of children with Williams syndrome have difficulties in finding appropriate environments for schooling for them, since they are not mentally challenged in the usual sense. They are intelligent far beyond their years in some aspects, while severely limited in others.
People with Williams syndrome are extraordinarily responsive to music. Not all of them are talented in this respect, but they are all deeply moved by it. The musical talents of people with WS differ from those of musical savants because there is always a strong desire to play music with and for others. (Savants are largely independent of influence by others). Some other personality traits of WS are that they’re generally very friendly and talkative, with an unusual command of language. They show a special feeling for narrative, and show great sensitivity in reading others’ emotions and moods. However, they are strangely indifferent to inanimate objects; some are unable to put simple lego blocks together. They usually have difficulty with numbers and abstract reasoning as well. Unfortunately, this syndrome is also accompanied by some potentially life-threatening complications, such as cardiovascular problems and a high level of calcium in the blood.
Dr. Sacks talks about Gloria Lenhoff, a young woman with Williams syndrome who learned to sing operatic arias in more than 30 languages! A documentary about her remarkable musical abilities was aired on public television in 1988, soon after which the parents received a phone call. Someone wanted to compliment them on the film, but was also curious as to why there was no mention that Gloria had Williams syndrome. This was the first time the parents had heard of the syndrome. What a life changing phone call that would have been for them! Since then, her parents have been instrumental in bringing awareness to the condition. Gloria went on to join a musical group called the Williams Five, of which all 5 members have WS. Unfortunately, I could not access any videos of the group, but I did manage to find one of Gloria. Have a listen- I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine! 😃