HiHopes, an amazing band
Posted By Phyllis on April 16, 2010
This is a picture of the HiHopes, a band including several prodigiously gifted and otherwise handicapped people. My autistic brother is standing next to the man with dark glasses.
My brother moved to the Los Angeles area more than 15 years ago to be in this band. Music is what he lives for. He plays bass guitar in the band, but can also play the keyboard and miscellaneous other instruments such as the trumpet and the viola. He can listen to a song and then play it, in all its different parts. Unlike the others, he can read music. The people at Hope University (which runs the HiHopes) say he is a musical savant. There are several others in the band too, people who may have trouble speaking but who play the most amazing music.
The band usually plays oldies, music from ’60s and ’70s. They play at parties and weddings around southern California.
My brother also has a part-time job working in a warehouse. He drives himself there and back–it’s a long way, maybe an hour’s commute. He lives by himself. I’m very proud of my autistic brother, who did not speak until he was 5 years old. Now he’s 52.
The HiHopes are having their annual fundraiser concert and auction Saturday, May 1, in Anaheim, California. If you are interested in finding out more about this unique ministry to the gifted, check out the Hope University website at http://www.hopeu.com/
Awesome! I have a Recorder student that we have to be VERY careful about learning his part RIGHT the first time through to the metronome. His brain memorizes it the first time through, and it is forever after played on ‘auto pilot’. I have had to rewrite everyone else’s parts around his. Pachelbel’s Canon in D will forever be played at the tempo that Josh’s brain is set to. He taps his foot four beats and I direct from there. We missed two rehearsals for snow and one for illness on my part and one for illness on his part. I e-mailed his part to him so he wouldn’t get too far behind…. hmm, not the brilliantest of plans…. From now on, I just devote the first 5 minutes of class to ‘Josh learn your part time’ if needed. Works SO much better, then we can play to Miss Trisch’s beat!
PS, I am giving his Mom the info for this college.
Very cool, Trisch!