2023.01.23
Source:https://youtu.be/8SamFW-ju7s
With drumsticks in hand, 12-year-old Hsiao Meng-Xin strikes the drums with thunderous sound, exuding immense enthusiasm. It’s hard to believe that he’s a child with Microtia who couldn’t hear since birth.
Meng-Xin remembers his early years, he wasn’t completely deaf, but the sounds were very weak. Since his hearing loss was profound, at the age of 2, he began wearing hearing aids. Initially, he struggled to adapt. When learning to speak, every time adults said “ah,” he would respond with “uh,” as if he couldn’t learn properly, which made him frustrated to the point of tears.
However, he persevered in his learning journey. He had a particular affinity for things that could produce sound and often played with milk powder cans or various other containers, creating rhythms by tapping and striking them. Therefore, Meng-Xin’s mother enrolled him in “Fong Tian Taiko,” a renowned drum school, when he was in kindergarten.
Due to his hearing loss, he had to listen carefully to synchronize with fellow drummers during performances. Through relentless practice, he now plays the drums with grandeur, confidence, and participates in team performances and competitions with excellent results. Meng-Xin aspires to travel to Japan and perform with fellow drum group in the future.
