Vision-impaired musicians hit high notes

At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games on March 4, the dulcet tones of the International Paralympic Committee anthem rang out around the National Stadium.

While listening to the captivating melody, perhaps few had noticed that those playing in the wind orchestra were all visually impaired and had to rely primarily on their hearing and touch to deliver such an exquisite performance.

Twenty-three of the orchestra's 44 members are completely blind, but this has not stopped them hitting the high notes in life. The band Yangfan, which means setting sail in Chinese, is made of students from a special education center in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

Li Longmei, the school's principal, founded the wind orchestra in 2011 after witnessing the students' joyous reaction to a musical symphony performed at a New Year's concert.

Li thought to herself: Why can't our kids learn how to play instruments themselves? Originally, 36 students enrolled for the orchestra. Today, it has over 70 members.

The students were initially given a basic introduction to the instruments, but with their musical curiosity piqued, were keen to learn more.

Their dedication was epitomized by their tuba player, who would play the cumbersome instrument almost every single day for two to three hours' practice, even during his vacations.

Their hard work paid off. The orchestra has performed throughout the country at several prestigious venues, including the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

As the band's backup horn player, Chen Haolin, 19, didn't get to perform at the Paralympics opening ceremony, but was still thrilled to watch her peers on television. "Previously, I couldn't imagine I would be able to play the horn as I do now and how life-changing music can be. Thanks to music, I have gained the courage to face anything life throws at me," Chen said.

As the Paralympic anthem echoed around the Bird's Nest, the visually impaired youngsters' proud parents back in Chongqing snapped photos of their television screens.

Chen Jingbo, the father of the band's trombone player, Chen Junhao, sees a bright future for his son.

"My son did something that I could not have dreamt of doing when I was his age," said Chen Jingbo, who is also visually impaired. "Music has changed his life and I am so proud of him."

XINHUA