Blind musician Brian Woolvert wowed crowds on the Ocean City Boardwalk

Ocean City, NJ (WPVI) — If you’ve spent this summer on the Ocean City Boardwalk, you’ve heard some rock and roll music that moves you. Brian Woolvert on the keyboard.

A pianist, producer, songwriter and Rowan University alumnus, he was born blind. The 23-year-old was born blind due to a rare genetic condition. He says he relies on pitch and color sense (the ability to see colors in music) to perfect his craft.

“Seeing colors in music. You don’t actually see colors in front of you, you see them in the back of your head,” Brian explains.

“A frequency, every time a musical pitch sounds, has a corresponding color. There are 12 pitches in Western music, and in my opinion, each of those 12 pitches has a color associated with it,” he said. say. “And my mind automatically developed them at a very young age of six or seven. It was very natural, unconscious. It’s really cool.”

In addition to performing outdoors on the Ocean City Boardwalk, he has performed statewide, rocking out to Billy Joel, Elton John, Ray Charles and more to his influences, including jazz and country. . He has composed about 50 original songs.

“I learned by ear. I learned by memory. Look at Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. It’s like a pattern,” says Wooldbert. “Music is like a language. It’s really a language. I remember the patterns for each song.”

His dream is to one day have his own concert at Ocean City’s famous Music Pier.

“Years ago I attended a Global Leadership Conference and someone said, ‘If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.'” Dream big, be afraid there is no. Use the passion that is within you. ”

To learn more about Brian’s music or join his fan club, please visit: https://www.bryanwoolbertmusic.com