Community Corner

Whiz Kid: 10-Year-Old Can Unicycle and Play the Violin — At the Same Time!

Watch the video: This week's Whiz Kid, David Gratz is a 4th grader who dazzles with an unlikely pairing of talents.

Name: David Gratz

Age: 10

Grade: Fourth Grade

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

School: P.S. 321

Accomplishment:  David can play the violin and ride the unicycle at the same time.

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Prospect Heights, no doubt, has its share of kids who can wow a crowd on the violin. And there’s a few kids in the area who can pedal a unicycle. But how many kids can do both simultaneously?

Enter David Gratz, violin virtuoso and avid unicyclist. And, since the beginning of March, gaining some notoriety for his ability to do them together.

“If he’s interested in something he just goes for it,” said his mother, Susan Buchsbaum.

David “decided to start himself on the violin” at the age of four after seeing relatives play a duet, Buchsbaum said.

Then in 1st grade, his sister, who is three years older, decided to join an informal unicycle class taught by her friend’s babysitter. Not to be left behind, little David learned as well.

He kept it up, unicycling to and from his home on Eastern Parkway and Underhill Avenue to P.S. 321 every day, David said.

“I don’t really like walking, it makes me tired,” he said.

When asked why he didn’t take the easy way out and ride a bike, David that he enjoys the challenge.

He's been wanting to try the two together for awhile. But his parents feared for his expensive violin, Buchsbaum said.

But when the idea of performing at a Park Slope Food Co-op variety show came up this year, they decided to borrow a less expensive one and let him give it a try.

He practiced once or twice after school beforehand , Buchsbaum said, and then took the stage March 5.

And how did the performance go?

“My ears hurt from all the clapping,” David said.

Key to awesomeness: “Basically if he wants to do something he teaches himself,” said Buchsbaum who added that he taught himself guitar and knitting by watching youtube videos.

But David has a simpler explanation: “I just like doing it."

Want to nominate a Prospect Heights Whiz Kid? E-mail Amy.Clark@patch.com.



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