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Outlook: The bionic gloves that brought music back to me

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Joao Carlos Martins

26/06/2024 GMT

The bionic gloves that brought music back to me

BBC World Service - Outlook, The bionic gloves that brought music back to me

João Carlos Martins thought he'd never play piano again, then he was gifted bionic gloves

João Carlos Martins was reduced to playing piano with just three fingers after an injury. But a stint in the boxing world and a pair of gloves gave him hope of playing again.

For many years, acclaimed Brazilian pianist João Carlos Martins graced the world's most famous concert halls as a celebrated interpreter of Johann Sebastian Bach's music. But his career was cast into doubt when he was hit with a series of health issues and injuries. It started with a neurological condition called focal dystonia, which caused spasms in his hands. Then a football injury damaged a nerve in his arm, and in 1995 he was attacked by a mugger who hit him over the head, injuring his brain. Although he had over 20 operations, the dexterity in his hands was severely impeded and he was restricted to playing with just three fingers. He went on to become a celebrated conductor, but it looked like his professional piano playing was behind him. That was until Brazilian designer Ubiratan Bizarro Costa created a special pair of 'bionic' gloves to help him play once more. This interview was first broadcast in 2021. 

And the gospel singing sensation 50 years in the making.  

In 1975 the Staples Junior Singers, a family gospel group from Aberdeen, Mississippi released a record.  It sold a few hundred copies through church gatherings, local fairs and even from their front lawn. It would take nearly five decades for that album to reach international acclaim but now the surviving members are embarking on a European tour. 

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Photo: João Carlos Martins wearing his bionic gloves. Credit: Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images

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