IRISH GALORE AND MORE

 

















 



Sponsored by CDA Court St. Francis of Assisi       

 
Sunday, March 23, 2014 - 1:30-3:30 pm

  
St. Francis of Assisi Church - Father Crowley Hall

  
856 Washington Street, Braintree, MA

        Featuring
World-Renowned Singer, Musician, and Autistic
Savant:  Tony DeBlois   - IRISH FAVORITES
and Other Requests

 $20/pp
- Includes Entertainment, a Light Lunch, Raffle, & Bake Sale

(Tickets - call Margarete:  781-843-5917 or in person at the Braintree
Town Clerk’s Office)

 About Tony---Tony was awarded a summer scholarship at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Tony so impressed the staff at Berklee that he was admitted there as a full-time
student and graduated (on Mother’s Day) Magna
Cum Laude in 1996, a striking achievement for someone both blind and
autistic. Tony is a tremendous jazz musician and improvises freely, and
impressively. He, and his mother Janice, were featured on a 1991 Today
Show and also have
been on CBS Sunday Morning.
There have been many other frequent television and media appearances since that
time. Tony is autistic and blind and has striking musical ability, which, while
including spectacular jazz ability, extends to many other musical styles ranging from country
to classic. He plays 14 musical
instruments, 12 proficiently. Like many other musical savants, his ability
surfaced at an astounding level when his mother bought him a chord organ at a
garage sale when Tony was two.  Janice
DeBlois, describes her son’s remarkable story this way:

 



“Born weighing 1 lb. 3/4 oz. was only the
first obstacle that Tony DeBlois had to overcome. This 39-year-old pianist from
Randolph is blind, autistic, and has Savant Syndrome. He has been playing
the piano since age 2. He was the subject of the 1997 CBS made for TV Movie of
the week ‘Journey of the Heart,’ which was inspired by actual events in Tony’s
life. Additionally, he has appeared on two Catholic Global Showcase Specials
(2001), The Learning Channel’s ‘Uncommon Genius’, Strange Science ‘Unusual
People’, and ‘Understanding the Mysteries of Memory’. He is the recipient of
numerous awards, among them are Chou, Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational
Foundations Global ‘Love of Life Award’
(2002), the Faith and Family Foundation first Outstanding Achievement Award,
the coveted Reynolds Society Achievement Award (1996), the Foundation for
Exceptional Children’s prestigious ‘Yes,
I Can’ Award for 1993, and the Panasonic Sponsored, VSAarts Itzhak Perlman Award (1992). As Tony’s ‘Let me do it independently’ attitude inspires many people who
meet him, his talents are being noticed internationally, hence his returning
concerts to both Singapore and Taiwan and performances in Dublin and Limerick,
Ireland. Spots about him aired in documentaries in Rome, London, Japan, and
Australia. Tony is the inspiration for the book ‘Fred’s Prayer Machine’
(Ambassador Book 5/02), and he will be appearing in two Psychology textbooks
referencing autism. All this fame has not daunted Tony’s excitement about
learning. His studies at Perkins School for the Blind earned him a Certificate
of Achievement, but his hard work at Berklee College of Music paid off.  When not on tour, Tony enjoys singing with St. Mary’s Choir, performing with his band ‘Goodnuf’, and spending time
with his girlfriend. Besides piano, Tony enjoys playing the organ, harmonica,
guitar, harpsichord, English handbells, violin, banjo, drums, and trumpet, and
is now learning saxophone, clarinet, ukulele, mandolin, and flute. When not
playing musical instruments, Tony enjoys swimming, exercise equipment, the
computer, Mystery Tours, and has learned to ballroom dance. For Tony there are
no ‘roadblocks’ but mere obstacles to be cast aside or skirted.  His favorite phrase seems to be ‘I haven’t learned that yet.’” (Dr. Darold Treffert & Janice DeBlois