Ethan's Song - Mother Sings To Her Deaf Child

Ethan's Song was written for me by Helen Goldwyn. Along with Christina Fry we make up the trio Ladies GoDiva.

After Ethan came to watch an LGD performance one night, Helen was inspired to write this beautiful song. As a fellow singer she was able to understand and capture the raw emotion and curiosity about Ethan's love of music.

For many years after his diagnosis I was unable to sing, I was devastated. Music had been a driving force in my life and my limited knowledge of deafness led me to believe that he would never be able to experience it. Ten years on I find myself standing in the Olympic Stadium watching my son performing the national anthem for THE QUEEN and billions of people across the globe, and rocking out like it is the funkiest piece imaginable.

He has music in his bones. He doesn't need to hear it because he feels it and he loves it. In fact he is accessing it in ways that hearing people can never understand. As he began to love music with the help of his amazing choir, Kaos, so my self-imposed veto on singing was lifted. The journey Ethan has taken me on has taught me so much. Above all I now know for a fact that a disability does not have to be limiting, it just means you experience life in different ways.

Stephen Bentley-Klein is a man of extraordinary talent and experience who has co-produced and arranged Ethan's Song and all of my church music. His passion and professionalism are inspiring. To him I shall forever be grateful. He has a profoundly deaf daughter, Charlotte: a wonderful friend to both Ethan and me.

My thanks to the excellent Mark Smith for his input and collaboration on the style of signing used within Ethan's Song. Although I had been signing and singing for some time he really brought to life for me the musicality and dance-like expression that BSL can have. Mark is himself deaf and is Founder and Artistic Director of the group Deaf Men Dancing. As a choreographer he is currently busy working on the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics.

Thanks to Mixmonkey for the mix. Subscribe to Katherine Mount Channel.