Formerly deaf piano teacher will play during a concert Sunday in Stillwater

Miss-Delectable

Miss-Delectable

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Formerly deaf piano teacher will play during a concert Sunday in Stillwater | NewsOK.com

A piano teacher whose hearing loss over 60 years was restored with cochlear implants last fall will perform solos during her students’ recital in Stillwater on Sunday.

Sonja Hannon, 69, will perform along with her 18 students during the recital at 2 p.m. at the Sheerar Cultural Center, 702 S Duncan.

Hannon, who began losing her hearing at age 9 and then had to rely on hearing aids, eventually became mostly deaf in both ears. She would play the piano by feeling the vibrations of the music.

Last fall, she regained 98 percent of her hearing when she was fitted with a Nuclear Cochlear Implant from Cochlear Americas. She now can teach music by sound again, a news release from the company states.

Sunday’s recital is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.
 
The way the article is written, it is made to sound like the pianist had her hearing completely restored overnight. We all know here that ain't true! Bad journalism.

However, it's still inspiring to know that this pianist will be able to hear her own music again. Stillwater, OK isn't far from here. About a 3 hour drive, if I remember correctly.
 
Are you thinking about going? Can you hear and enjoy music with your aids?

Yes, it doesn't exactly explain how implants work, but it's clearly just one of those short little filler pieces, not a long feature article where you could expect more detail.

I was touched because I was a student of piano for 5 years myself when I was little, from about age 8 to age 13. My teacher was considered one of the best in the state, and in addition to the recitals given by her students, she also gave one-woman recitals herself, and also accompanied the local orchestra sometimes.

About the time I quit my studies, she also had to quit playing professionally because she developed excruciating arthritis in her back and hands, and could no longer sit straight on the piano bench, nor get the power and flexibility in her hands that she needed. I could only imagine how she would have felt if some miracle cure had come along to help her play again.

Not quite the same thing of course, but for people who have this love and talent for music, to be able to do it again after not being able to for so many years, that's really remarkable and a wonderful thing to see.
 
Yay! Glad to hear that she's getting back to playing piano which goes to show that cochlear implantation has its benefits for her to hear those wonderful musical notes emanate from the piano. I'm a pianist myself, since age 7 and I haven't stopped playing it. I like reading stories like this. BG, have you heard of Sky Mundell?

Kokonut Pundit: Deaf and blind pianist wins talent contest

Glad to meet another fellow deaf/hh person who used to play the piano.
 
If you're talking about me - I wasn't deaf when I played, though. I had normal hearing until I was in my early 30's, when I had to take an anti-malaria drug for two years while living in Africa. The drug harmed my hearing.

And must admit - I don't play any more. Not because of hearing issues particularly; more because I was just never that good and didn't have the interest in keeping up with it. I am a wonderful audience member, though. I enjoy going to the ballet and to concerts and things like that. Studying music when I was young helps me to appreciate what I'm hearing now. But believe me, no one wants to hear me play!
 
Dixie said:
The way the article is written, it is made to sound like the pianist had her hearing completely restored overnight. We all know here that ain't true! Bad journalism.

However, it's still inspiring to know that this pianist will be able to hear her own music again. Stillwater, OK isn't far from here. About a 3 hour drive, if I remember correctly.
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Horrible framing. You're right.
 
Beach girl said:
If you're talking about me - I wasn't deaf when I played, though. I had normal hearing until I was in my early 30's, when I had to take an anti-malaria drug for two years while living in Africa. The drug harmed my hearing.

And must admit - I don't play any more. Not because of hearing issues particularly; more because I was just never that good and didn't have the interest in keeping up with it. I am a wonderful audience member, though. I enjoy going to the ballet and to concerts and things like that. Studying music when I was young helps me to appreciate what I'm hearing now. But believe me, no one wants to hear me play!
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I kind of figured that although I did say "used to play" as opposed to that you are still playing the piano. :wave:
 
Just wanted to not take undue credit!

I am double-jointed in my finger tips so my fingers would often "lock up" during fast runs and the occasional chord and so forth. Very aggravating and drove my poor teacher nuts! I enjoyed music theory very much, and composing, and was fairly good at that. But playing, not so much.

It really is wonderful to hear about this woman whose CI has worked so well that she can enjoy her own music again. I understand that listening to music is sometimes not easily done with CIs, or doesn't sound natural or something. It must come as quite a blessing at this point in her life to be able to enjoy that again.
 
Beach girl said:
Just wanted to not take undue credit!

I am double-jointed in my finger tips so my fingers would often "lock up" during fast runs and the occasional chord and so forth. Very aggravating and drove my poor teacher nuts! I enjoyed music theory very much, and composing, and was fairly good at that. But playing, not so much.

It really is wonderful to hear about this woman whose CI has worked so well that she can enjoy her own music again. I understand that listening to music is sometimes not easily done with CIs, or doesn't sound natural or something. It must come as quite a blessing at this point in her life to be able to enjoy that again.
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Blessing, indeed, to be able to enjoy music again with her CI. I agree.
 
Beach girl said:
Just wanted to not take undue credit!

I am double-jointed in my finger tips so my fingers would often "lock up" during fast runs and the occasional chord and so forth. Very aggravating and drove my poor teacher nuts! I enjoyed music theory very much, and composing, and was fairly good at that. But playing, not so much.

It really is wonderful to hear about this woman whose CI has worked so well that she can enjoy her own music again. I understand that listening to music is sometimes not easily done with CIs, or doesn't sound natural or something. It must come as quite a blessing at this point in her life to be able to enjoy that again.
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Are you sure it "worked so well"?
 
What the hell is a "formerly deaf" piano teacher? I wasn't aware that deafness could be cured.
 
Beach girl said:
Cured, no. Ameliorated, certainly yes. You know that.
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Nope, can't be ameliorated, either. No one is "formerly deaf. Put on a CI...guess what? You are still deaf.

Terrbily audist langugage that needs to be pointed out...especially to those that don't recognize the way audism infiltrates even titles chosen for newspaper articles. This is exactly what Lane refers to.
 
Ameliorate: transitive verb: to make better or more tolerable

Yup. I've got $6,000 worth of equipment doing just that. So does this woman. She now has the opportunity to again hear the music she loves. Sure, when she takes the equipment off, she's still deaf. But when she puts it on, hey presto, the miracle of modern technology makes her life better.

Now I know you love to rain on other people's parades, and if you get a chance to call me a name, your day is just complete.

As for me, I hope this woman has a full house, and a wonderful evening to remember.
 
Beach girl said:
Ameliorate: transitive verb: to make better or more tolerable

Yup. I've got $6,000 worth of equipment doing just that. So does this woman. She now has the opportunity to again hear the music she loves. Sure, when she takes the equipment off, she's still deaf. But when she puts it on, hey presto, the miracle of modern technology makes her life better.

Now I know you love to rain on other people's parades, and if you get a chance to call me a name, your day is just complete.

As for me, I hope this woman has a full house, and a wonderful evening to remember.
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I don't care how much you spend on equipment...you are not "formerly deaf."

And I am certain that you also believe, that thanks to technology, she is now living a life that is so much fuller and complete than those who do not use said technology.

ASL ameliorates deafness for many more than does CI.

My point was against the wording of the title. Your are the one that jumped in with your response without even a clear understanding of the ways in which you, yourself are audist. Can't take the heat? Stay out of the kitchen.

And, as I stated before, amelioration does not make one "formerly deaf". To be "formerly deaf" one would have to be deaf no longer. If you want to discuss semantics and post dictionary meanings in a poor attempt to make your point, you would do well to pay attention to those meanings.
 
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