History has shown that disability is no obstacle to making music. A perfect example of this is Beethoven, the classical music genius who, despite his deafness, created some of the best compositions of all time. However the musical panorama is full of admirable examples of overcoming challenges, such as Ray Charles, one of the best soul, R&B and jazz singers, saxophone players and pianists, who was blind since childhood; and Rick Allen (Def Leppard), who managed to continue playing drums after losing an arm in a traffic accident.
«History has shown that disability is no obstacle to making music.»
The Eurovision contest has also served as a platform to raise awareness of singers with disabilities. For example, Serafín Zubiri, a blind singer and pianist, represented Spain on two occasions. But the most inclusive edition was that of 2015. Finland sent punk band Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät, whose members all have intellectual disabilities, and Poland was represented by paraplegic singer Monika Kuszynska, who shone brightly on stage in her wheelchair.
«The Eurovision contest has also served as a platform to raise awareness of singers with disabilities.»
Some users of our handbikes also have an artistic side. Katcross is a French electro-pop wheelchair band, featuring Kat (paraplegic, France) on vocals and keyboard. A fantastic, successful band that won over Tricky, the most influential figure on the trip-hop scene.
Bàrbara (paraplegic, Barcelona) is in the pop-folk band Trenkaband. "Trenkaband shows are talks/concerts. Each song is associated with a story of some spot in the world where they have experienced, and still experience, extreme situations (military conflicts, natural disasters, etc.). We tell the story and sing the song." You can learn more about Bàrbara in the article climber, singer, traveller... with a Batec handbike.
«Katcross and Trenkaband: the bands of our handbike users."»
Whether on European Music Day or the rest of the year, the most important thing is to enjoy it. Nowadays concerts and festivals normally feature an area set aside for people with reduced mobility, although sometimes the excitement takes over and we want to joined the mass of people to be lifted up above the crowd in our wheelchairs like rock stars ;-)
And we can't forget about the rapper El Langui (cerebral palsy, Madrid), who participated in the project #SeSalen with a song to motivate our Paralympic athletes at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games.