I have known Mandy Harvey since she was a sophomore in high school. She worked as a janitor at our church to pay for her voice lessons after a church member donated a half scholarship. She took her voice lessons very seriously, practiced more than most students, and was always anxious to get right to work. Not much teenage girl chitchat. She prepared for student competitions (NATS, Federated, All-State Choir) and sang in multiple choirs at school. By her senior year she knew that she wanted to major in music and be a choir director. We prepared for her college vocal auditions and she had successful auditions for the music programs at University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University. She chose CSU, in part, so that she could continue studying with me. When there was a transcript glitch holding up her CSU academic acceptance, the entire voice faculty (and a few alumni!) went to bat for this young lady and she was able to start her college career as a member of the elite FVS Freshman Voice Studio. Each year dozens of singers audition for about 15 spots as voice majors (performance, education, music therapy.) Mandy had the talent, the intelligence, the personality and the drive to be a great music teacher. The universe had other plans. The most common question people ask me is How does she do it? How can a deaf woman sing? or Can she really hear? I have pondered these things enough to come to the conclusion that the why and the exactly how are not important. I know this young woman and I know her kind, generous heart. Can she hear? Certainly not in the sense that you and I can hear, in the dictionary definition: verb. to perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something). The broader definition of hearing is to perceive, to be aware and my favorite, to know the existence of. (Google dictionary.) Mandy most certainly is aware of pitch, rhythm, melody, and harmony. She perceives music in an entirely different way, and she sings it in a different way--with her entire body and being. So, how? Im satisfied with I dont know. There is a depth to her singing that comes from a very old soul (and more than her share of sorrow). She sings in the moment and transports her listeners. If you are lucky, you will listen with your ears and your heart. Who knows what you might hear? --Cynthia Vaughn, January 2015
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 22:57:46 +0000
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