Hearing Is Believing

Born 15 weeks premature, at a body weight of one pound five ounces, Rachel lost her eyesight due to Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). At two, she began picking up melodies from her musician parents and was soon playing every song she heard by ear, including Bach fugues. The child had perfect pitch. Starting her formal musical education at the age of 4, Rachel spent the next 10 years studying at the Southern California Conservatory of Music, while completing her mainstream education through elementary, middle, and high school. She was featured in two episodes of 60 Minutes in 2005 and 2008, when she was 12 and 15 years old. (Hawaii International Film Festival)