Born deaf, Paul Whittaker grew up a painfully shy child but he always had a vision, maybe even a calling.
Huddersfield-born Paul was surrounded by music from a young age – not that he could hear it.
Paul was born with severe hearing loss and between the ages of seven and 11 he became profoundly deaf.
At the age of five he decided he wanted to learn the piano and his love of music was sealed.
While he has no aural knowledge or recollection of music, he can ‘hear’ the music through the vibrations and feel of an instrument and his own imagination.
Used to being told throughout childhood that deaf children couldn’t do music, Paul and his parents Peter and Margaret broke that sound barrier and Paul became a pioneer.
Paul, who grew up in Gledholt, knew from the age of 12 that he wanted to help other deaf children enjoy music.
He had a vision in his mind for a charity, later to be called Music and the Deaf, which is this year celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Paul, 49 on Thursday , has now helped literally thousands of young deaf people discover music.
It is purely about fun and enjoyment and bringing deaf children out of themselves.
Paul, who speaks very well despite his deafness, said he was proud of his achievements.
“From the age of 12 this is what I wanted to do,” he said.
“I had a naive, child-like idea of what I was going to do. It involved having a big house for one.
“I had a vision, some might say a calling, like I was put on earth for a purpose.
“The success has been amazing. When people come back to you all grown up and say they have been inspired and you have changed their life it is humbling.”
When he was seven, Paul joined a church choir and pestered his parents to take him to concerts and recitals.
Put simply he was music mad, unusual enough for a seven-year-old. Unique for a deaf child.
“I never thought it was unusual,” said Paul. “It’s only when other people point it out that I think maybe it is out of the ordinary.”
Music dominated his childhood and a music degree was all he wanted to do.
In the early 1980s, deaf students just didn’t study music. The oral entrance examination was insurmountable.
After leaving school Paul applied to 12 universities in two years and was rejected every time.
But times were changing. Paul’s mum, now 85, found a prospectus for Wadham College, Oxford, and rang them to ask if they would take a deaf student.
There was a drive at the time to remove the barriers for deaf people and those with disabilities and Paul’s talents were able to shine through.
There were four candidates for one place and Paul secured it.
He went off to study at Oxford for three years and emerged in 1986 with a BA in music.
He spent a year at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester before launching Music and the Deaf in February 1988.
Backed initially by the Community Development Fund for emerging charities, he set up from his parents’ attic, still with a vague idea of running from a big house.
He quickly realised the big house would be too expensive – and wasn’t necessary – as he took his music into schools.
Working with deaf children he inspired and enthused with his passion for music.
His ‘big break’ came in the early 1990s when he was involved in a music event in Northern Ireland.
Also involved was the songwriter Sir Richard Stilgoe who subsequently invited him to his home in Surrey.
Paul’s business plan was still a little vague – admin is not what he’s about – and when asked how much his charity would cost to run for six months he had no idea.
Days later Sir Richard handed him a cheque for £5,000 and ended up funding his salary for the first 10 years.
“Without Richard I wouldn’t be here,” said Paul, now based at Huddersfield Media Centre.
“He got me through the early years and always said that when he wanted to stop he would let me know two years in advance.”
He was as good as his word.
Paul also loves musical theatre and his involvement with Sir Richard opened all sorts of doors.
Paul then became a pioneer once more – translating musical theatre into sign language for deaf people in the audience.
Before then it was unheard of in theatreland.
Paul said: “I told Richard I really wanted to sign the new production of Joseph at the London Palladium and Richard said: ‘Write to Andrew’. Being a bit dumb I asked: ‘Andrew who?’”
The Andrew was, of course, Andrew Lloyd Webber and on June 17, 1992, Paul signed Joseph with Phillip Schofield in the title role.
After that he toured with all the top shows – Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Blood Brothers, Starlight Express. The list goes on.
Paul was working hard. During the day he was in schools helping children, by night he was on stage. In between he was learning scripts.
Over 20 years, Paul signed 64 productions.
Three years ago Paul gave up the theatre work but another first was just around the corner. No-one had ever signed the Proms before.
On July 31, 2010, Paul achieved another landmark when he signed a special Proms concert to celebrate the 80th birthday of the American composer Stephen Sondheim.
Paul’s busy 25th anniversary schedule has prevented him taking up two offers this year.
He could have signed the Dr Who 50th anniversary Proms concert – but it clashed with his own 25th anniversary Music and the Deaf event in Birmingham on July 14.
Then he had another possible engagement on September 1, but that clashes with a gala fundraising night in Leeds for the charity Hearing Fund UK, organised by singing star Merrill Osmond.
Music and the Deaf, which currently has two full-time employees Paul and general manager Danny Lane, is about to expand.
It has a pool of around 30 trained freelance staff working nationally and internationally.
Music and the Deaf is becoming a worldwide phenomenon – the Dominican Republic and Australia are next to be conquered – but it all started in Huddersfield.
The charity’s roots will be celebrated at a special event How It All Began, which includes performances and an exhibition and displays at St Cuthbert’s Church, Birkby, today from noon to 4pm.
Paul, awarded an OBE for services to music in 2007, said: “Over the years it’s been a rollercoaster at times but we’ve seen many changes in deaf education, in music provision and attitudes towards deafness.
“It’s great that we have made a difference over 25 years, but this is only the first 25 years and there is much more to be done.”
