The leading Austrian Hearing Implant manufacturer MED-EL launched a unique project in Sri Lanka in April 2024 and successfully went ahead with the second phase of this project in September of this year.
Sri Lanka became the first country to be introduced to a cycle of English songs aimed at improving hearing and speech rehabilitation of Cochlear Implant (CI) users. These songs are based on a patented method that involves singing as the main tool used to develop many important aspects of hearing, breathing and speech. Svetlana Burnos who is the creator of this method, is a professional musician, an experienced therapist and the mother of a CI user. For many years this method has proved its efficiency and benefits via the songs written by Svetlana in the Russian language, which has helped hundreds of children to achieve incredible results.
It was the recognition of the immense value of this method and an ambitious plan crafted by a team of enthusiastic professionals, that catapulted the realization of this vision to spread its benefits to other countries as well. Months of hard work by the method’s author, a composer, a singer, translators, and many others resulted in the successful launch of the first workshop that took place in Sri Lanka in April 2024. The project was executed in sections, the first steps included a group of children who are CI users being introduced to a month of specially crafted online singing lessons. They received tutorials and other learning materials to aid and encourage individual daily practice. Weekly online Zoom lessons were also held for the purpose of practicing the songs and learning new songs. This was followed by onsite singing training with the singer and method’s English-speaking instructor - Nicole Müller assumed this role after hours of masterclass training with the method’s author. The professional singer with Austrian and Sri Lankan roots has now become the method’s ambassador in her motherland. It’s important to highlight that a song cycle was specifically designed for these rehabilitation purposes and created in English. The culmination of this first-time experience was commemorated by the children involved in the project having the opportunity to record a breathtakingly beautiful music video in a professional studio. This was the icing on the cake for both the singers and the audience. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvGS4j38rc)
The second follow-up event was carried out in Sri Lanka in September. It consisted of workshops being held across the island to create more awareness amongst local professionals and parents. It also allowed them to get more acquainted with the method and its beneficial contribution to the hearing and speech rehabilitation of CI users. The group of children who took part got a second opportunity to participate in another series of online and onsite singing lessons and performed live in front of a diverse audience, impressing everyone with their striking progress and talent.
Nicole Müller is committed to continuing her work to further promote and spread this method in other countries too, so as to help many more children who are CI users experience the countless positive benefits in their hearing and speech development.
