The Blind Tenor, Pianist and Linguist

The Blind Tenor, Pianist and Linguist

From Manila Bulletin, February 22, 2004

 

I.           SUMMARY

Due to a tough and complicated pregnancy, the doctors recommended that the baby be aborted to save the mother’s life. That is how the journey of Carlos Alberto Ibay started. Despite the odds, her mother declined to give him up.

Carlo was born premature; he was placed in a nursery incubator for two weeks. In that case he was exposed in too much oxygen which causes him to be blind.

For 24 years of struggling, he was been captivating international l concerts audiences with his gifts for singing and playing the piano. At seven he was trained by Thomas Schumacher the techniques of the piano to carry the dramatic understanding of music. At the age of 12, he gained lots of awards in music competitions. He played also in different countries like Russia that brings him plenty of awards. Aside the gift in playing piano he is also good in singing. He sings sacred songs, opera arias, classic jazz, Italian classics and popular music. “My music ranges from Back to Rock” he says. He enabled to master different languages that made him a linguist. 

II.        REACTION

The article tells us that children with visual disabilities have the same opportunities to study in regular schools like normal children. With the services of special education teacher, the absence of sight does not have to be a hindrance to the blind persons’ desire to get an education to prepare them for a better life in the future.

Over the years the term has been given different definitions, but most are not accurate enough to cover the broad range of difficulties the hearing impaired individuals suffered. The word actually refers to those exceptional children who are at least some degree of acquiring language skills is affected due to hearing defects. But though a hearing level of 70dB indicates severe to profound problems, it doesn't always define the term. In general hearing impaired children are less vocabulary and communication difficulties who are unable to envision multiple approaches to a problem and develop social isolation to deal with it.

I am very proud to both parents of Carlos that in spite of the difficulties during pregnancy they never tend to abort their child instead they take till the end. And they are as supportive as a parent because they didn’t feel denial when they knew that their child is special. We all know that raising a child with this impairment takes a big responsibility. From taking him to school, from the daily living, in guiding him to where they go are very difficult tasks to do but on Ramon and Carmencita Ibay it is not a hard thing to do because they truly love their child of what he is. That is how both parents gave hope to their child in facing the life.

He is gifted man that gave him lots of talents in playing piano, in singing and even in speaking in different languages. Despite his blindness he is a gifted one. It helps him faced the crowd with confidence and hope to live a normal life and be a model in each persons with visual impairment.

Sometimes, unintentionally of course, parents tend to suppress certain potentialities in hearing impaired children, presuming that they cannot hear it. They simply stopped talking to them. A hearing impaired child may pose a serious challenge to reach the goal of self-dependency, parents must learn that hearing impairment doesn't mean mute it is rather man made. We have to identify the problems early and an immediate intervention must begin as early as possible.
Most of the children have experienced ridicule from society due to their way of speaking. Therefore, teachers and parents should focus on preparing the children for public speaking once their hearing improves. We do small competitions to motivate them and it is amazing to see their confidence grow.