What makes Adoo's soul sing - Clarence

For A Change, Dec-Jan, 2000 by Anastasia Stepanova

One hardly ever meets such a cheerful, optimistic and energetic person as Clarence Adoo, but what has happened to him has tested his strong faith greatly.

As a professional trumpet player, Adoo has worked with such orchestras as the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia, where he was a sub-principal trumpet. He is also a retired Salvation Army bandmaster. He was an accomplished pianist and valued music teacher as well.

In August 1995, Adoo was driving from the northern English city of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he lives, to Shoeburyness in Essex to be at his brother's stag party. For some reason, his car went out of control and turned over. He broke his neck and became paralysed from the neck down.

Thanks to his trumpet playing, he has a strong diaphragm and can breath without the aid of a machine. He was told that he would never be able even to turn his head. But he was so determined to make his muscles work again that he can now move his head, shoulders and even his left arm. However, he needs constant care and special equipment.

Today his house is full of computerized doors, a specially designed lift, and voice-sensitive lights and TV-set. In order to change or choose TV channels he has to activate a small computer panel in front of him with his voice.

His expenses are mostly covered by The Clarence Adoo Trust which was founded by his friends, after a well-known insurance company refused to cover his expenses because he had not lost a limb. The fact that he had lost the ability to use all his limbs did not count.

Yet, despite all this, Adoo feels no bitterness or resentment and blames no one, not even God. On the contrary, his faith in God has become the main source of the great cheerfulness and optimism that he spreads to others. `Also,' he says, `in their turn, people inspire and encourage me.'

Adoo considers the human factor to be more significant than professional skills and achievements in making one's life worth living. He stresses, `I'd rather be a perfect person than a perfect musician.'

Adoo believes that people can make a great difference to the world. He does it himself by bringing music to people's hearts. His job title with the Northern Sinfonia in Newcastle upon Tyne is Education Animator. `It is proving to be a stimulating job, allowing me to create and lead projects in all the different areas of the community,' he confesses.

He also gives private music lessons at home. Apart from that, his freelance work includes writing music, sitting on the panel for the BBC Young Musician of the Year award, reviewing CDs, and coaching brass groups.

Lots of able people couldn't cope with even half of Adoo's commitments. `I serve on several Arts Council committees involving education and disabled people in the Arts. This has improved my awareness of other disabilities as well as my own and had me writing reports on the new facilities for the disabled at the revamped Covent Garden Opera House,' he says.

He considers music to be a universal language, understood all over the world. `It is so important that people appreciate it. When I see the sparkling eyes in the audience, it makes my soul sing.'