By Luke Voogt
A legally-deaf guitarist will play at Waurn Ponds this weekend in his 218th stop on an Australia-wide quest to raise money for Lifeline.
Former microbiologist and tai chi instructor Murray Mandel drove into Geelong on Tuesday after beginning his classical guitar tour in Canberra on 6 March 2017.
“I decided I wanted to do something for an Australian community service,” he said.
The 64-year-old Sydney-sider has raised $34,846 so far travelling the country in his van. His tour continues until March 2020.
“It’s been very gruelling,” he said.
The tour was more about increasing awareness of the suicide-prevention helpline than raising money, Murray said.
“I’m taking my time reminding as many Australians as possible that Lifeline is actually there.”
Murray lost almost all his hearing from an imbalance in an oxygen tent he was placed inside 20 minutes after birth.
After 34 years as a hospital microbiologist in Tasmania he took on odd jobs ranging from concrete labouring to retail before deciding to to learn guitar five years ago.
“I had 12 months of intense practice, 40 hours a week.“
Murray will play South America tunes outside Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre until Saturday.
“I must have the music pieces in front of me when playing the guitar due to my profound deafness,” he said.
“It’s different from other normal-hearing musicians.”
