[Perform-talk] Article from the Tampa Tribune
Brad Dunse
brad at braddunsemusic.com
Wed Dec 8 14:27:59 UTC 2010
Very nice article. Congrats hope the gig goes well for you.
Brad
On 12/8/2010 07:58 AM Marion Gwizdala said...
>Dear All,
> Thanks to Barbara Routen for writing this great article about
> me and my work!
>
>Fraternally yours,
>Marion Gwizdala, President
>National Association of Guide Dog Users
>National Federation of the Blind
>813-626-2789
>President at NAGDU.ORG
>HTTP://NAGDU.ORG
>
>
>Local musician offers acoustic Christmas concert
>
>by Barbara Routen
>
>
>
>Reprinted from the Tampa Tribune, December 8, 2010
>
>
>
>BRANDON - Marion & Martin - 55-year-old singer songwriter Marion
>Gwizdala and his Martin D-35 guitar - will perform "An Acoustic
>Christmas" in a cozy venue with a fireplace and wood-planked floors.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala's acoustic, finger-style guitar music will accompany his
>tenor vocal renderings of secular seasonal songs and religious
>Christmas carols.
>
>
>
>The concert at 7 p.m. Saturday will include a sale of baked goods
>and holiday crafts to benefit Brandon Unity, and an opportunity to
>meet Gwizdala after the show.
>
>
>
>The venue, the Brandon Women's Center at 129 N. Moon Ave., is an
>historic building and only acoustic music is allowed to be performed
>in it, said Gwizdala, who prefers the pure sound and doesn't even use a pick.
>
>
>
>The Florida native started playing piano at 6 and guitar at 14.
>Although he always wanted to play guitar, his mother insisted he
>learn piano first.
>
>
>
>His stage debut was in theater in third grade as the emperor in "The
>Emperor's New Clothes.
>
>
>
>"I think I got the role because I was the only one in my class
>willing to walk around in underwear!" he said.
>
>
>
>He performed in community theater and toured for a while with a
>Christian rock troupe called The Joyful Noise Ensemble.
>
>
>
>He attended high school seminary and a semester at St. Vincent de
>Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach before deciding the
>priesthood was not his calling.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala majored in music in college before earning a bachelor's
>degree in psychology from the University of South Florida and a master's degree
>
>in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University.
>
>
>
>At 17 he learned he had inherited retinitis pigmentosa, a
>degenerative condition that gradually stole his sight. At 25, after
>hitting a tractor-trailer he didn't see in the dark, he gave up driving.
>
>
>
>"My cousins, whose father was blind with the same condition, came
>down from Michigan and told me about the National Federation of the
>Blind and other resources,"
>
>he said.
>
>
>
>"They introduced me to other blind people who showed me I could
>become successful and pursue the dreams I had. These blind people
>were ordinary, average,
>
>everyday people living ordinary, average, everyday lives. They were
>not extraordinary people."
>
>
>
>"I had been told that my uncle was extraordinary, amazing, because
>he lived a normal life even though he was blind," Gwizdala said. "I
>saw myself as average - a C student, a little above average
>athletically and musically - so I didn't think I could be successful
>if I admitted I was blind."
>
>
>
>He chuckled. "Not admitting it didn't change the fact that I was blind!"
>
>
>
>He has been married twice and has a daughter, 24-year-old Aislinn
>Woody. She is a personal trainer and Coast Guard reservist in San Francisco.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala is employed as music director at New Life Unity in North
>Tampa and has a private practice as a certified hypnotherapist.
>
>
>
>He performs what he calls positive acoustic rock, a combination of
>original music and covers of folk and contemporary songs with an
>upbeat message.
>
>
>
>He also is a public speaker and advocate for the blind.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala served for many years as president of the East Hillsborough
>Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, but because of his
>greater involvement
>
>on the national level now, the chapter has been disbanded, he said.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala currently is president of the National Association of Guide
>Dog Users, a division of the National Federation of the Blind.
>
>
>
>In March he got Sergeant, a 100-pound German shepherd from the Guide
>Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown, N.Y. Sergeant is working
>out well, Gwizdala
>
>said.
>
>
>
>"He's still got a lot of puppy in him. He's a really good dog with
>quite a personality, and I've found my music puts him to sleep."
>
>
>
>Gwizdala said people have misconceptions about blindness. They
>expect blind people to wear dark glasses and walk hesitatingly with
>their arms extended in front of them, and for the blindness to be
>visible in their eyes.
>
>
>
>Gwizdala's condition is inside his eyes, so there is no cloudy film
>across them and they move in unison.
>
>
>
>Because of that, and also his confidence and independent lifestyle,
>people from time to time question whether he's really blind,
>particularly on or around the local buses he rides everywhere he goes.
>
>
>
>"With my characteristics," Gwizdala said, "I feel I'm on stage all
>the time. I'm blind, go around with a dog, I'm tall, redheaded -
>people are always looking
>
>at me. And people recognize me from all the advocacy work I've done."
>
>
>
>For more information, contact
>
>
>
>Marion Gwizdala
>
>813-626-2789
>
>SwampFox1833 at Verizon.net
>
>
>
>
>
>Neighbors at tampabay.rr.com">name="signature">Neighbors at tampabay.rr.com .
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Brad Dunse
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation
brad at braddunsemusic.com
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