He has degree in music despite hearing loss

He may only have 15 per cent of his hearing left but that does not stop Mr Azariah Tan from pursuing a career in music.

The 23-year-old not only graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, he also has a double Masters in chamber music and piano performance from the University of Michigan (UM).

He is pursuing his doctorate at UM under its full-tuition scholarship.

Mr Tan was diagnosed with congenital bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) at age four and lost 5 to 10 per cent of his hearing every year, leaving him with only 15 per cent now.

"I'm not able to hear low volumes or vowels in certain words without the help of a hearing aid," he told The New Paper.

The root cause of SNHL lies in the auditory nerve, the inner ear, or central processing centres of the brain.

Dr Raymond Ngo, a senior consultant with the Department of Otolaryngology at the National University Hospital,said it may be caused by inherited genetic defects.

"Constant exposure to loud noises can also lead to bilateral SNHL. Sufferers are given hearing protection, or amplification with hearing aids," he said.

Despite his impairment, Mr Tan's father Leslie Tan, an educational trainer, 51, wanted his son to lead a normal life.

Mr Tan went to a mainstream kindergarten, which was "challenging" because his speech, understanding of languages and reading was below average.

Despite his handicap, Mr Tan showed a talent for music.

"We used to have an electric organ at home when I was young and I loved playing on it so much that my grandmother decided to teach me to play," he said.

It was only at 12 that he "truly appreciated music".

"That was when I started to learn structured theory. I discovered that music is the language of emotion. I learnt I could convey feelings through the pieces," he said.

But with a hearing aid, Mr Tan hears about half as well as an average person. So initially, he could not hear his own playing well.

"Others would tell me my left hand had raced ahead of the right.. I wouldn't have known as my hearing aid was not tuned for music then," he said.

To encourage him, his parents took him on annual educational field trips to the US and Europe to visit music schools, museums, and to concerts.

MUSIC PATH

But the senior Mr Tan had to consider the fact that pursuing music may not be the right thing.

The family wrote to several music teachers before his home-school programme ended with him sitting for the O levels.

The responses ranged form "don't waste your time" to "it's a personal choice".

But one response in 2007 brought hope.

"Only Professor (Thomas) Hecht, told them to bring me to see him. He told me to develop my auditory memory while I could still hear," Mr Tan said.

Prof Hecht, a renowned American pianist, heads piano studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory.

"I guess if the famous composer Beethoven could draw from his auditory memory, I could too," he said.

German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven became almost deaf in the last 10 years of his life, but he continued to compose.

Mr Tan, who had scored distinctions almost every year at the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams, received a scholarship from the National Arts Council-Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and entered NUS.

Said Mr Tan, who intends to perform in concerts after his PhD: "I want to show kids like me that they should not allow themselves to be sidelined. With support and hard work, they, too, can excel."

I guess if the famous composer Beethoven could draw from his auditory memory, I could too... I want to show kids like me that they should not allow themselves to be sidelined. With support and hard work, they, too, can excel.

- Mr Azariah Tan

I discovered that music is the language of emotion. I learnt I could convey feelings through the pieces.

- Mr Azariah Tan