Born to play

Deirdre Newman

When Michael Fleming was born, his parents looked at his hands,

then looked at each other and sighed a breath of relief.

His long, slender fingers virtually assured that he would be able

to carry on the musical tradition in his family.

Fast forward nine years.

Michael is now a two-instrument virtuoso, playing the piano and

violin.

“To be talented at both is unique,” said Michelle Marumoto-Wright,

Michael’s violin teacher and director of strings for the Irvine

Conservatory of Music.

Michael’s musical destiny was actually determined before he was

born.

[He] didn’t have a choice,” said his father, John, who plays

myriad instruments and whose father was also a violinist. “I wanted

to continue the music on to the next generation.”

When Michael’s mom, Penny, was pregnant with him, John put

speakers on her tummy so Michael could get used to the sound of

music.

Michael started playing both instruments at the young age of 4

after seeing his father play with three musical groups. He performed

in his first recitals and music festivals when he was 5.

He said playing each instrument evokes different emotions.

For the violin, “I feel serious and like everyone is watching me

and saying, ‘Wow, Michael is a violinist,’” he said.

Playing the piano is a little more challenging, Michael said,

because there are so many keys, but “I feel happy and I feel good if

I play fun songs.”

His piano teacher said his pitch has improved through the years.

“He plays violin and piano at the same level,” said Maki

Middleton, piano instructor. “His hearing level is a little more

advanced than the other kids’.”

Michael spends at least four hours each week practicing his two

instruments and performs with the Prelude String Orchestra.

When John gives Michael and his younger sister Annie -- who also

plays the piano and violin -- music lessons at home, he gives them

some incentive to have a good lesson. They can earn 50 cents to $1,

which is then placed in their “music money” jars to use for whatever

they like.

“But if they have a bad lesson, then they have to pay Daddy back,”

John joked.

Michael’s parents are grateful that that he genuinely enjoys the

musical path they’ve guided him down.

“He would rather play the violin than soccer,” Penny said, and

Michael agreed. “We’ve discovered that musicians have a quality of

life that others don’t. They’re more sensitive and not so much ‘go

out and get them.’”

His family has traveled around the world, and Michael always tries

to find a piano in whatever hotel they stay in. The Flemings spent 34

days touring Europe last year, and got to take in a concert in

Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Mozart.

In Salzburg, he also picked up a pair of lucky piano socks that he

wears when he performs.

“They have black and white notes all over them,” Michael said.

While Michael enjoys playing and performing at this age, he is

entertaining thoughts of teaching music or composing in the future.