“It’s an unusual orchestra, one that has played in London, Madrid, Moscow and Jerusalem. Its next stops are New York, Washington and Chicago,” writes Karel Janicek in a Sunday (7/9) Associated Press report. “The Tap Tap, created 18 years ago to give students at a renowned school for the disabled in Prague an extracurricular activity, has become a major musical operation that has drawn millions of fans…. Many of the musicians are in wheelchairs with serious disabilities…. Band leader Simon Ornest believes that often the disabled aren’t challenged enough and people tend to be too solicitous of them…. Ornest … has been astounded at its success…. In the beginning, the players in the Tap Tap started with cover versions of their favorite songs. Today they produce music of their own, with help from local musicians, and lyrics that target the world of the disabled…. Their recent hit, ‘The Bus Director,’ is about a bus driver who prevents a disabled man from boarding the bus with his bicycle. The song has had over 6.9 million views on YouTube…. Today, the 20-member ensemble plays about 60 concerts a year and has been preforming a musical at the National Theatre in Prague.”
Posted July 12, 2017
