Audiological History:

I was born both visually and hearing impaired, and I have a rare condition known as Harboyan syndrome, which involves congenital corneal dystrophy combined with progressive sensorineural hearing loss. However, my hearing loss wasn’t officially diagnosed until I was eight years old. I didn’t begin to talk until I was three and a half years old, and it was through singing that I learned to speak.  Since a young age, I have sung in the choir, and learning to enunciate has helped me learn to pronounce words correctly and with clarity.

One reason my hearing loss went undetected for so long is that in those days, hearing was not tested on children until they started school. Furthermore, I have what is known as a cookie bite hearing loss. I can hear high and low frequencies fairly well, but sounds in the midrange are significantly impaired. Because I was still responding to high and low frequency sounds in both ears, it was assumed my hearing was normal.

Today, I have a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in both ears and wear digital hearing aids, which are extremely helpful. Still, understanding speech can be challenging when a person is not facing me or is standing at a distance. Background noise can also make communication more difficult.

Musical studies:

By the grace of God, I developed both the interest and the ability to make music. I began studying piano when I was eight years old, just a few months before my hearing loss was diagnosed. Because of my visual challenges, I initially learned music by ear. It was during this time that I discovered I had absolute pitch. My teacher would play random notes on the piano with my back turned, and I could name each one accurately.

Initially, being a musician with hearing loss seemed paradoxical, but learning about Beethoven’s story of perseverance inspired me to continue my studies. Over time, I came to understand that musical ability doesn’t require perfect hearing. That’s why I believe that a good musical ear primarily depends upon an excellent memory and deep internalization. When I play music, I rely heavily on touch, muscle memory, and an understanding of musical form. If I don’t understand a piece structurally, I cannot play it. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Manhattanville College in May 2004, concentrating in classical piano performance. During my undergraduate studies, I began composing music, which led me to pursue a Master of Music in Composition at Purchase College, which I completed in May 2008. A couple of years later, I began gradually transitioning from composing and performing music in the classical tradition to serving as a liturgical musician in the Catholic Church. I first joined my parish’s handbell choir, then a few years later the vocal choir. Three years after that, I began studying the organ, and about a year later, I started serving as a volunteer organist at my local prison.

My music teachers have been invaluable and encouraging during my years of study. I studied piano with Donna DeAngelis, Catherine Coppola, and Flora Kuan, and composition with Mary Ann Joyce-Walter, Huang Ruo, and Joel Thome. I also studied organ with David Baranowski and Jennifer Donelson-Nowicka.