NEW MILFORD, Conn. (AP) - Brian Horberg plays piano like he breathes.
The Danbury resident, who was born blind and is deaf in his right ear, learns songs simply by listening to them.
“I just pick it up by ear,” Horberg said.
The 30-year-old performs across the area at senior centers, nursing homes, schools and Danbury Hospital. His favorite songs to play are hymns, but he often performs songs that fit with the season, filling the New Milford Senior Center with holiday tunes last week.
“I love listening to him,” said Rachelle Goldberg as Horberg performed. “What a beautiful gift. He’s a real blessing to us.”
Horberg’s skills were realized at age 9 or 10 when he struck up a conversation with a stranger at Stop & Shop.
Horberg doesn’t remember whether they talked about music, but shortly afterward, his family got a call from Services for the Blind that the man wanted to drop off a present for Horberg-a 66-key keyboard with pre-programmed songs.
It was that gift that fostered Horberg’s love and talent for piano and led him to spend the last 10 years performing in the community.
“I know it’s good for the residents,” Horberg said. “That’s the gift the Lord gave me, to play the piano.”
For the last 6 1/2 years, he has grown his client base by working with Mary Casagrande, a life skills instructor at Ability Beyond, a Bethel-based non-profit that serves individuals with disabilities.
She had seen him perform at her previous employer, Village Crest Center for Health and Rehabilitation, and then saw him on video during her training session for Ability Beyond.
“He was just always impressive,” Casagrande said. “When I saw him, I knew I wanted to work with him.”
Casagrande has helped Horberg by creating business cards, handling his booking and invoices, and driving him to performances. They work together to set up a set list of songs.
Horberg has about 350 songs in his repertoire and starts practicing Christmas tunes on Oct. 1.
“I force him to practice because he doesn’t like to,” Casagrande said.
She said she can see and feel him concentrate when he learns a new song.
“You can almost see the music in his fingers,” Casagrande said.
The two have grown close. On Casagrande’s Christmas tree is a piano ornament with Horberg’s name.
“He’s like my third son,” she said.
He has 13 regular clients, performing every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with Casagrande and with his grandmother on Fridays and once a month on Sundays.
“They just love him,” Casagrande said. “This is the kind of service people in nursing homes need.”
If clients cancel, he performs at Danbury Hospital. Often, five people will recognize him there.
“He’s well-known,” Casagrande said.
There is no set fee for his performances; clients pay Horberg what they can afford, but he offers a free audition.
“Once I got him in the door, that was it,” Casagrande said. “They always invited him back.”
Last week at the New Milford Senior Center, he performed tunes like “Jingle Bells” and “Angels We Have Seen on High.”
Nancy Terrill, a Brookfield resident who visits the New Milford Senior Center for activities, said she enjoys Horberg’s performances.
“Most of the ones he plays are familiar,” she said. “We sing along with him…It’s amazing what he can do.”
The family did not stay in touch with the stranger, Glenn Smith, who gave Holberg the keyboard.
Casagrande has been unable to find Smith, who was from California and visiting Connecticut for a book on Norwich artist Ellis Ruley. Attempts by Hearst Connecticut Media to contact Smith were unsuccessful.
“His family calls him an angel,” Casagrande said.
She said audience members often tell Horberg how meaningful his performances are.
“He has an incredible ability to touch people’s lives,” Casagrande said. “That’s even more powerful than his music.”
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