Hearing Silence | Gaelen McCormick, MFA | TEDxRochester

Quick Overview

Gaelen McCormick, a classical musician who is deaf in one ear, shares her personal story of navigating a career in music while managing hearing loss, emphasizing that her worth is not tied to her auditory ability and encouraging others to embrace their full selves, even amidst perceived limitations.

Key Points: Gaelen McCormick has spent most of her career playing bass in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. She experienced hearing loss that became progressively worse, eventually leading to total deafness in one ear, which caused significant anxiety during her musical career. Despite the hearing loss, she continued to teach music to children because she loved it, realizing later that she was asking the wrong question: "How am I going to be a deaf person in music?" She learned that her worth is not tied up in the job she has or the music she produces, but in who she is. A key turning point was when her father asked her if she wanted to learn the cello after she chose piano over violin at age nine, leading her to realize the unfair limitations placed on her choices. After losing hearing in one ear, she initially felt relief because she could finally stop pretending and focus on her strengths, though she still had to actively work to hear with her remaining ear. She encourages others facing perceived limitations to realize that their worth is inherent and not dependent on overcoming that limitation.

Context: Gaelen McCormick, a classical musician and member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, delivers a TEDx talk titled "Hearing Silence: Piecing Together Our Journey." The talk centers on her personal journey with progressive hearing loss, which began subtly and culminated in total deafness in one ear, forcing her to re-evaluate her identity, career, and relationship with music.

Detailed Analysis

Gaelen McCormick recounts her life as a classical musician, detailing how she spent years playing bass in the Rochester Philharmonic, where sound and music were her entire world. She began experiencing hearing loss that started subtly—notes sounding crackly or twisted—and progressed until she woke up completely deaf in one ear. This condition caused immense anxiety, especially since she loved teaching music to children, making her question how she could continue in her profession. She realized she was asking the wrong question: "How am I going to be a deaf person in music?" Instead of focusing on the deficit, she focused on what she gained: knowing exactly how to teach ear training and reading music through her inner hearing, even when the external sound was distorted or absent. She discovered that her worth was not tied to her performance or her job, but to her inherent value. After her hearing loss became profound, she continued to thrive, engaging with her orchestra colleagues and teaching, finding joy even when she had to fake playing during ensemble rehearsals. The core message is that silence, or disability, does not define one's worth, and embracing what you have—even a single good ear—allows for continued growth and contribution.