[{"text_idx": "#000019", "text": "I\u2019m often asked if my hearing and visual impairments, both of which I\u2019ve lived with since birth, have made my life more difficult as a composer and musician. The honest answer is no. If anything, I\u2019d say the opposite is true. The considerable sum of the music I\u2019ve made, the places I\u2019ve visited, the people I\u2019ve met and the unforgettable experiences I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to have throughout my life, have all been directly linked to my disabilities."}]