A 21-year-old Valley musician who was born blind and autistic is getting the opportunity of a lifetime this weekend when he performs the national anthem at an Atlanta Hawks NBA game.
Joe Giacinto has been mastering the clarinet for nearly a decade, learning every song by ear. His musical journey began when his mother discovered that music calmed him as a baby, and not having sight has heightened his ability to listen and identify sounds with remarkable precision.
"I can tell what kind of car it is just by hearing it," Giacinto said.
The Valley native has already impressed audiences by sitting in with jazz bands in New Orleans and performing the national anthem at various events throughout the Phoenix area. His talent extends beyond just musical recognition – he can identify different types of vehicles simply by their sound.
"I'm never going to give up music. Never," Giacinto said.
His big break came after a recent national anthem performance was posted online and caught the attention of millions of viewers, including NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins. The 9-time NBA All-Star, who is also a father of two children on the autism spectrum with sensory needs, was moved by Giacinto's performance and personally emailed him an invitation to perform at Sunday's Hawks game in Atlanta.
"It's probably going to be the best day of my life," Giacinto said.
While this performance represents a major milestone, Giacinto has even bigger dreams. He aspires to one day perform with renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli. For now, he's focused on building his career one performance at a time.
"It's a great feel. Playing gigs is something I really, really want to do. Playing in Atlanta, I don't want this to be my last gig. I want so much more to happen for me," Giacinto said.
His dream car is a McLaren, and perhaps this high-profile performance will help make that aspiration a reality someday.
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