Great Musical Instruments believes playing a musical instrument can be an inspiration to everyone, including those with hearing disabilities:
Megan Angharad Hunt and Poppy Clough are making amazing music despite their partial deafness. They can’t hear the notes with the same crystal clear precision as their captivated audiences.
But Megan Hunter and Poppy Clough play them in a way that leaves no clue to the struggle behind their evocative performances.
Despite being partially deaf the two Welsh teenage musicians recently took to the stage at Midlands arts venue mac Birmingham.
Flautist Megan, 17, from Penygroes, in Gwynedd, North Wales, who suffers moderate hearing loss, describes in powerful terms how music has made her realise her potential.
“Music takes me wherever I want”
She said: “Playing music, and meeting other young people with hearing loss who play musical instruments has made me realize that deaf people can do anything.
“When I play, I forget about my hearing loss because it’s just me and my instrument, and the music takes me wherever I want it to take me.”
Along with Poppy, who plays the clarinet, Megan was among a group of 21 other deaf young people from all over the UK who won a weekend-long masterclass with acclaimed deaf professionals from the arts industry.
The group won Raising the Bar, a competition developed by the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) to drive expectations of what the 45,000 deaf children in the UK can achieve.
Megan, who was born with hearing problems, began learning the flute in primary school.
She admits there have been times she has struggled to accept her deafness, feeling “frustrated and just sad often on the inside because of the daily things like listening to music”.
She said: “It’s just another thing that’s helped me just get on with it because it’s something I can still do and appreciate.
“Since taking part in raising the bar, it made me think just because I’m deaf doesn’t mean I can’t play music. I’ve done it! Anything you can do, I can do too, deaf or not.”
She said: “It’s just another thing that’s helped me just get on with it because it’s something I can still do and appreciate.
“Since taking part in raising the bar, it made me think just because I’m deaf doesn’t mean I can’t play music. I’ve done it! Anything you can do, I can do too, deaf or not.”
Raising the Bar was launched by deaf actress Sophie Stone of Doctor Who fame, at the beginning of this year.
She said: “I was so impressed by the high standard of competition entries.
“Having attended RADA I know how vital it is for deaf children and young people to be in an environment where they can build confidence, gain skills and make new friends.
“Deaf children are just as capable as everyone else; we just need to make sure they get the right support.”
Partially deaf Megan Hunter, who plays the flute, recently took to the stage at Midlands arts venue mac Birmingham.
Poppy Clough with her hearing dog Tanii
Great Musical instruments invites you to visit their website: www.greatmusicalinstruments.net to find out more about their musical instruments for a great variety of sizes and colors.
