Deaf teens on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
Two deaf teenagers have joined the list of performers who have fulfilled a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grace the stage at a world famous concert venue, the Halifax Courier reports today.
Sowerby Bridge High School pupils Jake Lamb, 13, of Halifax, and Mark Owens, 16, of Mixenden, Halifax, are two members of a deaf music group called the Hi-Note Ensemble that showcased their own composition called Tutankhamen's Curse at the Royal Albert Hall.
The eight-piece collaboration, who are all aged between nine and 16 and attend mainstream schools, was set up at the beginning of 2008 by the Huddersfield branch of charity Music and the Deaf, which helps people with hearing loss to access music.
The group, who are also members of Music and the Deaf's youth orchestra, have already played in numerous concerts including the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham and the Regional Festival of Music for Youth both earlier this year.
Education manager for Music and the Deaf Danny Lane, who is profoundly deaf, said: "It is opportunities like this which inspire the youngsters and give them pride in their own work.
"They have also grown in confidence knowing that, despite having a hearing loss, they are treated as musicians just like their hearing peers.
"My role with the Hi Notes group is to prepare the players with their composition and conduct during their performance at Music for Youth."
