[dbaust] FW: Inspiring pianist plays on without sight or sound
- From: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: List Aust DeafBlind <dbaust@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:41:48 -0800 (PST)
Inspiring pianist plays on without sight or sound Carolyn Webb - February 24,
2012
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/inspiring-pianist-plays-on-without-sight-or-sound-20120223-1tqdp.html
Michelle Stevens and Thai Phuong Nguyen. Photo: John Woudstra
Anyone needing inspiration to follow their dreams could start by listening to
Michelle Stevens play piano.
She is blind. And deaf. And she plays with feeling and clarity.
Blind since infancy, she grew up to become a semi-professional pianist, playing
at clubs and on television. But she thought that was over after losing most of
her hearing in the early 1990s as the result of an ear disease.
But in 2006, staff at Able Australia, a not-for-profit organisation in
Camberwell for people with multiple disabilities, reintroduced her to music.
Returning to Bach, Percy Grainger and The Girl from Ipanema, she could feel the
piano's vibrations. A cochlear implant gives a smidgen of hearing. The piano
evokes wonderful memories and she's good at playing it. It's a joy to her now
to make other people happy and she's studying for her associate diploma of
music.
Tomorrow, to raise funds for Able Australia, Stevens (pictured) will play at an
event called Stage Fright. It's on from 10am to 4pm at the Cross Culture
church, Swanston Street, opposite the State Library. It aims to enable shy
people and procrastinators to play instruments, sing, recite poetry and display
art in a supportive environment.
The organiser is Thai-Phuong Nguyen, 23, an occupational therapist who last
year volunteered at Able Australia.
Nguyen (also pictured) always wanted to learn violin but was afraid of failure.
A year ago, she realised ''it's now or never'', so she bought a violin and
started lessons. She will play at Stage Fright. The program consists of 25
performers she found at bus stops, through friends and online. Nguyen says
proceeds from the gold coin entrance fee go to Able Australia but the day's aim
is also to ''improve the performers' confidence and make them feel they're a
part of something and have achieved something''.
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/inspiring-pianist-plays-on-without-sight-or-sound-20120223-1tqdp.html
FW: Inspiring pianist plays on without sight or sound
Sent: Friday, 24 February, 2012 10:53 AM
From: "Di Hartman" <diandjon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Hello everyone,
I am unable to copy this article from The Age and paste it on an e-mail. I
think you might like to read about Michelle Stevens and how she is helping to
raise money for Able Australia by playing the piano..
www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/inspiring-pianist-plays-on-without-sight-or-sound-20120223-1tqdp.html
best wishes,
Di
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