The classical concert pianist - who has only one hand
Nicholas McCarthy was 14 when he decided he wanted to be a concert pianist. But the odds were stacked against him; he’d never played an instrument and he had only one hand.
Nicholas McCarthy was 14 when he had a life-changing musical experience during a piano recital. Despite never having played any instrument before, he decided he wanted to be a concert pianist. But there was an even bigger obstacle to overcome - he only had one hand. His supportive parents bought him a keyboard and incredibly, within a few years, he became good enough to secure a place at a top UK music school. But there was one condition - he had to concentrate on the notoriously challenging scores of the left-hand alone piano repertoire. It would mean giving up the music he loved - composers like Chopin and Beethoven, but could also be the way to carve a career from the piano.
Attitudes to disability have altered in recent years, in both music and sports. The Invictus Games was started to support servicemen and women with their rehabilitation. In 2016, Aleem Maqbool spoke to one of the athletes competing - retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Ronnie Jimenez who was taking part in the hand-cycling event.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Katy Takatsuki
(Photo: Nicholas McCarthy performing. Credit: Nicholas McCarthy)
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- Mon 15 Aug 2022 11:06GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
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