Photo: Estevam Romera

Drummer from São Paulo launches channel about music and inclusion of people with disabilities

São Paulo Gui Caiaffa launched a YouTube channel on drums last July. He started practicing the instrument at the age of five and has Apert syndrome, a condition that has the fusion of the fingers of the hands as one of its characteristics. But this has never stopped him or limited his drumming studies, and his identification with music has become a profession. After a few corrective surgeries, even with smaller fingers, he now has complete freedom and independence to play.

The road

When he was eighteen, Gui listened to a lot of heavy music and was a Sepultura fan. That's why, when he found out that the band's former drummer, Jean Dolabella, was giving lessons, he immediately sought him out to improve his studies.

I remember that before I took my first lesson, I imagined that I was going to get there, play heavy metal and pick up some double pedal techniques. In reality, it was totally different. I remember that when he played me the song, it was Cherish by Madonna. At first I found it strange because I was playing that sound, but seeing what he was giving me in terms of techniques and other ideas about music, my mind started to open up to listening to styles other than metal?

Social inclusion

From his classes with Jean, the idea for the channel emerged so that Gui could show a little about his profession. At the same time, the idea of incorporating social inclusion matured. Addressing the syndrome, adaptations and his own evolution, Gui is a content producer who influences other people (with physical differences or not) to overcome their fears and start practicing this liberating instrument and to do whatever they want. After all, drums are for everyone.

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