Age 7

 

At primary school I was shown a descant recorder and thought, “Oh I would like to do that”. There was a bit of mumble over whether I could manage it being Deaf but I started to learn. I got involved in the recorder group, started to learn very quickly and loved it. My passion for the recorder grew and I started to learn the treble and tenor recorder and then the bass. I joined a large recorder group that toured around Germany performing all types of music with just the different ranges of recorders.

 

On a Friday we would head to a school somewhere in Germany, set up the group and presented with a file of music which we had to learn to perform on the Sunday to the public. We would camp in the classrooms of the school spending Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning learning the music with the grand performance on the Sunday. It was quite stressful but fantastic for sight reading skills and a good social event for the whole weekend. My favourite bit was moving around the group so much, because I had learnt all the recorder sizes, sometimes certain music required an extra part in a certain area so I would have a chair in each section with the recorder and move around after each piece.

 

 

Age 10 

 

I saw someone playing a flute one day and fell totally in love. Now I am older and have been in relationships I would compare my desire for the flute like seeing my first love! I had to play it! I asked and was told by the school I would find it to difficult with my hearing but I asked again and again. I asked my parents and they said yes and told the school and lessons started. I remember the first lesson very well, just using the head of the flute and learning how to blow it properly to make clear sounds before being allowed the whole thing. I was so frustrated I wanted to play. Once I got the hang of blowing it, I was away! I took my first exam just before my 11^th birthday, I skipped grade 1 and took grade 2 passing it with flying colours.

 

 

Age 11

 

I had retuned to England now but didn’t carry on with the flute. I started secondary school and found out there was a teacher there and begged my parents to carry on and I did. I got my own flute and over the years started to work through my grades, 3, 4 and 5. I joined the “Youth Orchestra” which I loved, it was hard but I managed and worked my up to 1^st flute and then took my Grade 6. I also started to play pieces on my flute at dinner parties as a little bit of light entertainment after dinners and it was a real good money earner!!

 

 

Age 16

 

I was allowed to move up and join the “Durham County Wind Ensemble”. Once a fortnight I would catch the bus that was organised by the Council and off I went to the Wind Ensemble which was all day on a Saturday. I felt really grown up because on a lunch time I would go into Durham centre with the others for my lunch, I felt “cool!” and no-one was bothered by the fact that I couldn’t hear what I was actually playing. This was like a whole new world and again worked really hard until I was playing 1^st flute parts. At this group I would watch people playing on the piano in the lunch break and decided that I wanted to do that aswell, I went home and asked my parents and off I went to piano classes. I worked really hard and found a lot of passion in the piano and I would really feel what I was playing and found the instrument so loving and was so delighted when I got my own piano one year for Christmas.

 

During my college years I asked if I could learn to play my Dads violin, I had it restored and started to learn how to play it. I got up to Grade 3 and decided it wasn’t for me. You have to rely on getting your fingers in the right place and if you get them slightly wrong you have move your fingers but I could not hear that and gave up.

 

My Flute and Piano passion continued to grow and by now I was working on Grade 8 flute and Grade 6 Piano. I was also doing performances on my flute at dinner parties a fair bit and it was great fun.

 

 

Age 23

 

I had taken a break from the flute at the age of 18 to concentrate on my education, going to university etc and just didn’t have the time or money to concentrate on the flute. Aged 23 years I decided I had to get back to it and show the world the talent that Deaf people have and try to change attitudes so started seeking a good teacher. I searched the internet for a long time and found someone who would teach me half a lesson piano and half flute which I thought was fantastic however when I contacted her she was emigrating 6 months later. I thought "I'm not starting with her, getting comfortable with communication barrier etc then have to find another teacher and start again."

 

My search continued and I was finding it harder to find a good flute teacher who could teach grade 8 level and was not put off by the communication barrier and my challenging needs. Success came in an angel called Jessica Quinones. I contacted her and she was more than willing to meet. The only hurdle was she is based in York and I live a 30 minute train journey away, I still went, met and felt comfortable straight away. I have been going for lessons ever since.

 

 

Life now.

 

I am still playing the piano with great passion as well as the flute which I play most Sundays in my local church. I am involved with the “Music and the Deaf” charity supporting young deaf musicians hoping that I can create a passion in them that I have. You can find out more about this project by looking at their website, you can find a link on the useful references page.

 

I still have lessons with Jessica and she has helped me to thrive. Jessica has found a way to teach me in a way I understand using as much visual representation as possible. She has helped me to learn skills to improve my tone and technical ability whilst supporting me to keep the passion I have in the flute. Jessica has her own website and you can find a link on the useful references page.