The classroom went quiet and concert pianist Llewellyn Werner launched into a Chopin etude, his neck arched over the ivory keys, his fingers aflutter.

Minutes later, the room of college music students roared in approval. But professor Burns Taft, Werner´s personal instructor, noticed that he´d left out a measure — a tiny, virtually unnoticeable breach, but still an embarrassing slip.

Don´t rush to judge the minor memory lapse too harshly — after all, Llewellyn is 10.

The child prodigy, who will perform Saturday at a benefit concert in Oxnard, has a lot on his mind.

He´s a full-time student at Ventura College, coupling his music courses with English, world history and advanced math. He has completed more than 135 credits and holds a 4.0 grade-point average.

His first exam at the college was at age 5. His mom keeps a picture: Llewellyn at his desk, his little feet barely reaching the floor.

"He loves to learn; he always has since a very early age," said Martha Werner, who agreed this week to allow her only child to be interviewed and shadowed by a reporter for the first time.

Growing up in Ventura, Llewellyn didn´t spend a day in grammar school. Instead, his parents enrolled him directly into college, which better fit his academic and musical needs.

His first piano lesson was at age 2. He would tag along with his mom to her lesson and, before long, he had taken over the bench. The instructor was hesitant to work with him — others had flat refused — until she witnessed his surprising skill, his mother recalled.

"She would play something and he would play it back," she said. "It was abundantly clear he had a special ability."

At Ventura College, his classmates view him mostly as a peer, even if he´s the shortest person in the room.

"He´s a cool kid. He´s very mature and confident in social settings," music student Michael Sheridan said.

Passers-by stop to listen

When he plays piano, students stop and listen. "It´s nothing but just awe," Sheridan said. "I don´t know what else you could feel when you see him play."

Earlier this week, after playing all three movements of Beethoven´s sonata "The Tempest" from memory for a music history class,

Llewellyn agreed to take questions in front of the auditorium.

Favorite composer? He likes too many to pick just one. Favorite piece of music? Whatever he´s playing at the moment, he said. He fidgeted slightly in place.

Yes, he does have friends his age, he told the crowd. And when he´s not at a piano, he enjoys playing chess, or with his Legos, or watching political shows on Sunday mornings. He doesn´t own video games.

Does he feel gifted? No, not at all, he said, turning serious.

"I have to work really hard. My standard practice time is two to three hours," he said. "Over the weekend, I usually practice three to four hours. And when something really special is happening, I practice for five or six hours."

Later, his mother said those estimates are probably a little high, but her son doesn´t want anyone to get the impression that music comes easily to him.

One male student drew a big laugh when he asked Llewellyn if he´s ever walked into a party and seen a kid his age struggling to play "Chopsticks" and just wanted to take over the piano bench and put the kid to shame.

Llewellyn rolled with it.

He sings and acts, too "I just love to play," he said, before pausing. "For anyone who asks. I have no desire to show up anyone else."

He also sings. "I like acting," he said. "I have been in three Shakespeare plays."

When he grows up, he would like to be a composer, a pianist and maybe an author.

At 7, Llewellyn, who likes to perform under his full name — Llewellyn Kingman Sanchez Werner — was named the youngest Discovery Artist at the New West Symphony. As a member of the Ventura County Master Chorale Children´s Concert Choir, he toured Europe, where he made his European debut as a piano soloist in 2004, at age 8. He has committed more than 80 minutes of music to memory for his concert and is composing his own work.

Ventura College music professor Robert Lawson says other students would be wise to emulate Llewellyn´s drive.

"Every one of my music students comes into my class with a gift. They are all gifted," Lawson said. "But what you do with your gift is what is very important, because if you don´t work to embellish that gift and support it, you will lose it. That is where the craft comes in, and Llewellyn works very hard at his craft."

Llewellyn is quick to praise his music teachers at the college, which he calls a "second home." On some days, his first class starts at 7:30 a.m. and his last one gets out after 9 p.m.

University next, perhaps soon

In the near future, he would like to move on to a four-year university with a strong music program. He´s looking at Yale or perhaps the Juilliard School in New York City, where his father, a merchant banker, does business.

But touring is also one his great joys. In June, Llewellyn will perform at the G8 summit in Germany. He´s been asked to be a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Later this year, he will be playing for the king of Swaziland in the small, landlocked country in southern Africa.

Sometimes people try to give him money, which floors him. He doesn´t have a checkbook or credit cards.

"I don´t need the money, and I don´t play for the money," he said. "I do it for the pleasure of it and to play in front of the audience. I have a passion for music and I thoroughly enjoy it."