The colourful repertoire provided by Al Nour Wal Amal chamber orchestra next month will provide an insight into the world of people who have lost their eyesight, according to the secretary of the Malta Society of the Blind, Irene Schembri.

The 38-piece orchestra is composed entirely of blind women from all walks of life.

The orchestra will perform works by Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky during a concert called Light, Hope and Music at the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta on February 5. It will also be playing two pieces by Joseph Vella as a tribute to Malta.

The orchestra has performed in 17 countries, including Austria, Germany, England, Japan, Thailand and Canada. As it is impossible to read Braille while playing an instrument, the performers memorise the score.

Just like the chamber orchestra, the Malta Society of the Blind provides its members with the creative means to express their emotions.

“Before I joined the Malta Society of the Blind, I was a solitary man, daunted by everyday occurrences. When I joined the organisation, I shared my difficulties and fears and found huge practical and psychological support,” vice-president Frans Tirchett said.

The support he found over the past 10 years as a member of the organisation has made his everyday errands easier.

The organisation also helped Mr Tirchett, 62, of Tarxien, exploit his talents. Smiling, he recounted how the Malta Society of the Blind used to buy cane which Mr Tirchett and his colleagues turned into ornaments and other practical objects. He acquired the craft from Angelo Borg who, like him, is blind. Cheaper imported products and a substantial increase in expenses made it feasibly unviable for the society and its members to continue investing in this skill.

Asked whether he would like to enhance his computer skills, as some of his colleagues were doing, Mr Tirchett smiles radiantly. “I don’t want to master my computer skills because I’m scared of getting hooked to the technological world. I don’t want to be stuck at home, in front of an inanimate machine, but I want to venture out beyond my doorstep,” he said.

Mr Tirchett said the organisation was working on providing mobility and orientation training to its members. To date, such training is not available to Maltese blind people. It is vital to any blind person who would like to use a walking cane, technically known as the white stick, providing independent mobility.

Wrinkles are evident on his forehead as he mutters: “For most of us, going about with a white stick is a trial-and-error venture. It is not enough to just possess a walking cane, blind people need to be taught how to use it properly.”

His disappointment lingers in the air.

“Society should recognise ability and not disability,” Ms Schembri said.

She commended Julian Holland’s appreciation of artistic ability ingrained in blind people. Mr Holland is the brain behind the event.

She said financial aid was essential for any project the organisation embarked on. There are 700 blind people registered in Malta and the organisation plans to enhance Braille and orientation training.

Ms Schembri, whose own son is deaf-blind, said someone with impaired vision felt lost, just like a person who found himself in pitch darkness during a power cut. For a blind person, she added, electricity power was never restored.

“To be able to walk around in the dark, a blind person needs training and, unfortunately, this training depends on funds,” she said.

Ms Schembri insisted that although the Maltese islands’ infrastructure had become more accessible, street furniture, including low-level pregnant windows, made it difficult for blind people to venture out on their own.

Mr Tirchett, who lost his eyesight due to glaucoma, said it was disheartening to meet with indifference when knocking on particular entities’ doors, asking for support.

Mr Holland discovered the Al Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope) chamber orchestra when he was based in Cairo, Egypt.

The Egyptian chamber orchestra, under the direction of Ali Osman and the musical supervision of Ines Abdeldaiem will be performing under the patronage of President George Abela.

“This is a historical event where a group of Egyptian blind people is dedicating time to collect funds for Maltese blind people. This synergy is based on different cultures coming together with a common aim,” Mr Holland said.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.