ASL interpreters let singer make shows more accessible
Interpreters improve access to musician’s concerts for deaf, hard-of-hearing community
SASKATOON Musician Raine Hamilton says being hard of hearing should not be a barrier for anyone to enjoy her shows.
“For me … the sharing part is a powerful part,” Hamilton said. “I’m motivated because, for me, live music and connecting to the art community, those are like my reason for being.”
Hamilton is a singer, songwriter and strings player from Winnipeg who has performed concerts across Canada.
Her unique folk-music style incorporates elements of traditional string quartets, and Hamilton plays the guitar and violin in her ensemble.
She described an incident a few years ago when she helped the Winnipeg Free Press with an article about the deaf community having American Sign Language (ASL) access for music performances.
Until that time, Hamilton said, she hadn’t considered getting an ASL interpreter for her performances, but now that it’s come to the forefront for her, it’s hard to think about putting herself in the shoes of someone from the deaf community and not having the connections to her music that she does now.
“I just can’t imagine what that would be like, to not have access to that,” Hamilton said.
“When I have the opportunity to improve access … I totally want to do it.”
Her newest tour only goes for about a week, with a concert scheduled each night at a different location in Saskatchewan.
The tour is the first time Hamilton has done a tour with ASL interpretation.
She praised the national “network” of sign language interpreters in Canada that has made it possible for her to find someone to assist in her concerts at every venue across Saskatchewan, adding that she hopes to be able to travel with interpreters from Winnipeg on all tours at some point in the future.
Hamilton said she was inspired to pursue music at a very young age, recalling seeing famed cellist Yo-yo Ma on an episode of Sesame Street when she was just a few years old, and loving the performance.
Now, Hamilton said she thinks of her songs and shows as very “vulnerable” displays, as she likes to tell stories and crack jokes with members of the audience.
For her, adding sign language interpreters to make her performances more accessible for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community is a simple action.
She said doing so brings more of the public together to appreciate something she’s loved since she was a child.
“It feels to me like a step toward the world I want, where everyone’s needs are met,” she said.
The interesting stamp Hamilton has put on her music has not gone unnoticed. Her newest album, Night Sky, earned her a nomination for a Canadian Folk Music Award for emerging artist of the year.
Hamilton said the public response to having sign language interpreters in her shows has been very positive so far, and she doesn’t expect that to change during her upcoming stops in Saskatchewan.
“People get it,” she said. “I’m really happy to see this is acting like a seed that’s planted in the art community … there’s ripple effects of better inclusion happening.”