"The Prodigy" By Gary A. Edwards and Luba Wold nee Sokoloff The Prodigy is the story of two families from America and Russia whose friendship begins in World War II at the Elbe River, who are then separated by years of cold war and enmity and finally reunited through music symbolized by the love of an American boy and a Russian girl, who produces the prodigy. The story is told using the themes of the music of Piano Concerto # 1 by Gary A. Edwards. We see a view at a concert of the prodigy playing Piano Concerto # 1 by Gary A. Edwards. As the pianist plays each theme, of the concerto the screen flashes back to scenes from the past, underscored by that theme. After each group of scenes highlighting the events unfolding in the Russian or American family, the view returns to the Prodigy playing the next theme. 1st movement, Theme A - we go back to the 1930's showing the Soviets experiencing Stalinist repression and American experiences in the Great Depression. Theme B. - it is the end of World War II as we see the lives of two soldiers, one American and the other, Russian. The soldiers meet on the Elbe River and celebrate victory over Germany. They exchange gifts, which appear at transitions in the story. Theme C - about 1959-1962. Ivan is a logger and has a musical son named Valeriya. Valeriya grows up to become a paratrooper in The Soviet Army. Don has a son, Jerry, who becomes a music student and joins The National Guard. We see the effects of The Cuban missile crisis on the two soldiers. Theme D - 1972 Ivan's granddaughter, Love dances and sings with her mother. In America Jerry drops out and becomes a hippy in San Francisco. Love has to choose between her dying father Valeriya and going through with a musical performance. Theme E - Love experiences hardships in the logging village. Jerry struggles and becomes a successful music producer. We are in modern times. The prodigy plays the 2nd movement. Theme A - Love goes about her life without her father and Jerry prepares for a trip to Russia. Theme B - a café in Kiev and a chance romantic meeting that will change the lives of Love and Jerry forever. Theme C music - we view the surreal dreams Love and Jerry experience about their future together. Theme D music. - Love resorts to a dangerous and exciting deception to escape her Russian KGB tour guide to unite with Jerry. Theme E music - birth and childhood of The Prodigy. 3rd movement music - quick flashbacks of events of four generations. Finally we focus on the prodigy's concert as he reaches the climax of the Concerto and the three family members unite on stage for one final bow.
About the Author: Gary A. Edwards graduated from Indiana University with a music degree. Gary taught public school music and played bass in various Symphony Orchestras. Gary has performed in groups of all sizes and most styles. Gary composes in most styles. He has published ten books. His music has been performed around the world. He writes for various sizes and types of groups from classical to rock and others. Gary has written four musicals, two concertos, three screenplays and hundreds of pieces of music. He worked for five years for CMTV learning film-making. He has released nine music CDs. Gary has received grants from ASCAP. Gary composed the soundtrack for a movie he produced called How To Date Beautiful Women. His screenplay, The Prodigy received two Fresh Voices Spotlight Award Nominations: The Humanitarian Award. Luba Wold bio My Bio I did not get to know my grandparents, as both my mother and my father were orphans. Being raised in a small Siberian village I learned early about hard life and survival, digging potatoes fields, hunting for wild forest mushrooms, berries and cedar cones. Russians rely a lot on each other and have a very strong feeling of friendship. When Russians get together they obviously eat, drink some, sing and they dance together. That's how come my parents taught me to sing and dance. It was a part of our lives. Stalin times: I remember my aunt telling me how everybody was so scared. ...People were reporting someone just to save their skin. Otherwise they would also be considered the "Enemies of people". From early childhood all I heard was Lenin's name... they taught us good life skills, honesty, honor, to be helpful and hard working. We grew up for most part as a very good people with strong morals and dignity. 1983 - 1988 I lived and studied in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, graduating from Kiev Institute of Trade and Economics. I absolutely loved the city. While I was attending classes daily, I had to work as a housekeeper for number of aristocratic families in Kiev, as I had no other income or support to get me through those five years of studying. 1986 Chernobyl accident... I witnessed all the chaos and evacuations from the city. I chose to stay and lived in Kiev for next 5 years. After my graduation (with a Master Degree in Engineering) I was hired as a cook in one of downtown cafeterias...