Stars remain the same while i was studying astronomy

When i was thinking to leave the university, my professor said to me “What you do now is best for you”. Unfortunately, we lost that valuable person during speed train accident in Ankara. I started to make music under that motivation in my hometown.  After founding Manga, we always had our studio which made us more independant. That was kind of headquarter for us. Since we came together with other members, we came till today and i think there will be never retirement from music.

Ozgür, İstanbul 2020

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Early 70’s, I have been able to merge rising underground culture with my music and visual which allowed me to make first “multimedia” shows. I studied from Sufi’s to African cultures and dances and that allowed me to transmit to stage my full body with my music. I have been accepted as inspiration to many rock bands notably like Bruce Dickinson or KISS. 

I always believed one thing, there is always a purity in human heart and brain takes you to dark as long as it get’s you away from your heart. I always lived with my heart and did always what I wanted.

London Nells Jazz Club, England, 25 January 2020

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I'm Patricia Castellanos; Guatemalan at heart. I educate hearing-impaired people as an audiologist. Thanks to my academic background, I can help these people professionally. 

Through La Fundación Sonrisas que Escuchan (The Smiles that Listen Foundation), I have learned a lot about the people who are living in poverty in Guatemala. I have also met so many wonderful people:

Maria is 1 year old. She has not started to talk yet, and her parents still don't know that she can't hear. If they don't act quickly, Maria could never learn to speak and develop her cognitive potential. Her academic performance will be greatly affected.

José is repeating first grade in elementary school; it has been very difficult for him to learn how to read and write. His parents don't know that José suffers from a moderate hearing loss which makes it difficult for him to separate the sounds of some letters.

Francisco listens to his grandchildren, but doesn't understand everything that they say. So they can't enjoy spending time together as much. 

There are many “Marias”, “Joses” and “Franciscos” hoping to have better treatment opportunities about their hearing disorders. Finding them has been a long and sometimes lonely journey.

Today, we have come a long way with the help of human resources who we have trained - audiologists from other countries and international organizations. We started a baby screening program, we have tested more than 25.000 school age students and fitted more than 6.000 hearing aids, and training courses have been offered to parents of hearing-impaired children. We have also formed audiometric technicians as a profession, and created jobs.

My job is the best! I live in a country which has many challenges, but is of an incomparable beauty and wonderful people. The journey through the world of sound seems to be endless; however, helping to improve the quality of life of a person allows me to sleep peacefully and create new ideas and better dreams.

Patricia Castellanos
Guatemala City, Guatemala, 21 September 2018

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My name is Carlos Miguel Garcia. I was born and raised in a village near Totonicapan. My ancestors have been farmers and craftsmen from generation to generation, and I, too, make my living this way. We grow and sell corn, which is our main nutritional source. We also make tortillas from corn for both ourselves and commercial purposes. Besides agriculture, we make textile products with a special kind of tailoring that we learned from our Mayan ancestors, and we sell them at the local bazaar. By this way, we are able to continue an ancient tradition, and we also make money for both our living and the education of our children.

As a Quitche Maya, I am proud of my roots. Even today, especially in the villages, Mayan people speak their own language instead of Spanish.

Years ago, after a two month long adventure, I reached the U.S.A. by land. I lived there for 5 years as an immigrant, and I learned English. Afterwards I returned to my homeland, and I continue to live here with my family. We live in a typical village house, and sometimes we rent it to the tourists from Airbnb.

I also continue to farm, but nowadays they have been trying to ban the usage of our traditional corn seeds with Monsanto's pressure on the government. We, as local farmers, try to stand up for our rights with strikes and various demonstrations.

Carlos Miguel Garcia
Totonicapan, Guatemala, 25 September 2018

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When I was four years old, I had a pair of long, round pillows that I loved to hit with wooden spoons, trying to mimic the drum parts I heard on my parent's records. At age 6 (maybe 7?), I heard the song «Tom Sawyer» by Rush on the radio, and my life was changed forever! I had never heard drumming like that, and I knew at that moment that I wanted to be a drummer. Luckily for me, my parents were very supportive- they got me a small drum kit, and I began taking lessons.

Thirty years of drumming later, in 2012, I got a phone call from my long-time friend Barry Brostrom- he was doing sound for Ritchie Blackmore, and they had a European tour coming up in just a few weeks. Due to some odd circumstances, they were without a drummer! I quickly uploaded my first-ever video to YouTube, shot in my basement as I played along to two of the songs by Blackmore's Night. Two days later, Barry and I drove to Long Island, NY, where I met Ritchie and auditioned for the band... and three weeks after that, I was on a plane to Germany with 40+ new songs swirling around in my head! It was a trial by fire!

The thrill of being on the road and playing live music is one of my life's greatest joys. I love traveling and meeting new friends! I've found that there is a connection between the audience and the musicians that creates an exchange of energy; on good nights it has a profoundly positive effect on everyone involved, sometimes even to the point of spiritual elation!

Simply put, music is good for the soul!

David Keith (Drummer for Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow)
Ludwisburg, Germany, 06 October 2018Follow

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My name is Julian. I am 9 years old. I was born as hearing impaired. Today, I heard for the first time in my life when a hearing device was put in my ears. I am very happy.

Julian
Guatemala City, Guatemala, 19 September 2018

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