A paralyzed pianist in Edmonton has developed technology he hopes will “resonate” with other people living with lower limb impairment.
Riccardo Baldini is a classically trained pianist who first started playing piano at five years old.
He grew up in Italy and moved to Canada eight years ago.
It was six years ago when he suffered a spinal cord injury. Overnight, he became paralyzed from the chest down when a spinal cavernoma burst. A spinal cavernoma is described as a “cluster of abnormal blood vessels” in the spine, according to the Glenrose Hospital Foundation.
During his treatment he spent time at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. A few weeks after his injury, he found a piano in the hospital atrium and he was devastated to discover his ability to play was gone.
“It was heartbreaking for me losing all that training,” Baldini said. “All that was part of my identity. It was lost overnight.”
“And when I started looking around, I found nobody and I found nothing that was overcoming the challenge.”
Seeing there was a need for accessible technology, Baldini co-founded Resonate. With the help of engineers and the support of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation’s research and innovation department, he developed a mouth piece that allows users to push the piano pedals without their feet.
According to Baldini, 80 per cent of classical piano requires using the foot pedal and Resonate works on any piano.
He says it has helped him “walk again with music.”
Mark Korthuis of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation says they hope to share Baldini’s story at the Courage Gala on Friday. Baldini is invited to play piano at the fundraising event for rehabilitation health care in Alberta.
“It’s a real neat blending of technology, music and the power of resilience and perseverance through something very traumatic,” said Korthuis.
The Courage Gala has been an annual event since 2010 and has helped raise more than 5.5 million dollars for the foundation.
This year, the fundraiser is hosted at the Edmonton Convention Centre. Tickets and tables for the gala can be purchased online and by phone at 780-735-6024.
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Sean McClune
