Johnny Miller calls it “crazy hour”. While he’s going wild belting out Shakira’s popular Waka Waka on his piano, seven-year-old Selma is banging on a set of drums. In front of them, 14-year-old Ahmad is dancing, his arms and legs flailing in time to the music. Some onlookers in wheelchairs are swaying their heads, keeping pace with the beat while others are grinning broadly.
It’s 11am on a Thursday and the Senses Residential and Day Care for Special Needs, in Umm Suqeim, Dubai, is full of excitement. It’s the same this time every week because that’s when Johnny, 51, a professional pianist, comes to play music with them.
“They all look forward to Thursdays when Johnny performs,” says Lina Owies, the executive director of Senses. “He is very popular among the students. From the beginning of the week, even children who are unable to speak use gestures to request that Johnny come along and play his piano,”
From rock and roll to nursery rhymes, Johnny captivates his audience with a medley of songs. For the students of Senses, Johnny’s music has struck a chord. Not only do they love listening, dancing and joining in when Johnny comes to play, but his voluntary musical contribution is invaluable as it has therapeutic benefits for the students as well. Experts say that listening to music is both recreational and has healing benefits for children with special needs. It relaxes them and reduces hyperactivity.
“Many children have developmental problems that make them less communicative and social,” says Jackulin Milka, an occupational therapist at Senses. “Music helps them to come out of their shells. They are able to make eye contact, interact better as well as concentrate more with music as it calms their minds.”
Selma’s mother Hoda Abdul Hakim Mohammad agrees. She says her daughter is happier and more sociable than before she started attending music sessions at Senses. “She loves to imitate Johnny and has four toy guitars and a Casio music organ at home that she plays with. I am happy to see that she enjoys music,” she smiles.
Her favourite songs include Waka Waka, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’ Mine. Khalid Jaham, who is 16 years old and has Asperger syndrome love the Arabic hit Ya Mustafa.
Ask Johnny, who has had the distinction of performing for several famous people including Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth II, who his favourite audience is and he will point to the children. “The sheer joy and pleasure on their faces is priceless. I don’t get that when I play for celebrities,’’ he says. “I know that the students eagerly wait for the music hour every week. They give me song requests and even join in to play percussion. I feel fortunate that I can bring a smile to their faces and spend time with them.”
A helper at heart
Johnny started playing music at Senses about three years ago. He has always had a soft spot for special-needs children and has been involved with various charities. He is also a familiar face at the Dubai Autism Centre where he does music sessions with different age groups on Tuesdays. “They had a music therapist before but due to some financial constraints the centre couldn’t afford one any more. So I stepped in two years ago,” he says.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Johnny plays for the children to help himself as much as them.
“I did not have a great childhood to talk about, but when I feel low, I always remember that there’s somebody worse off than me.”
Owner of Dubai Original Music, Johnny, a self-taught pianist, came to the UAE in 2004. He’s the creator and organiser of the Dubai Original Music Festival that provides a platform for local artists to showcase their talent. Johnny is also a site manager for music concerts and has been a production manager for many international artists including Phil Collins, Destiny’s Child and Westlife among others. On most days he volunteers at special-needs centres and spends the second half of the day
at his company.
Self-taught music maven
“I was always attracted to music from an early age but as a young boy growing up in Scotland, I was also liked playing football, rugby and other sports,’’ he says. “I used to sneak into the music room at school breaks to practise on the piano but I didn’t go to music lessons as they didn’t interest me. I’d go outside and play football instead.”
He taught himself guitar, and then piano. “Singing just came along naturally,” he adds, explaining he doesn’t read music but plays purely by ear. “In my later teens, I realised I was talented enough to make a career out of music and so I strived for that. I have always considered myself to be lucky because music took me around the world and I was always being paid for something I loved doing, and always will love,” Johnny says.
“Many years later I discovered the real power of music and its great benefits for people of all ages suffering from various conditions and, of course, for children with special needs. Music can change peoples’ lives in a very positive way, and has amazing healing powers. It is also the only international language, which is comprehended by all.”
His volunteer work has led to his nomination for the Princess Haya Award for Special Education in the category of outstanding volunteer in the UAE.
But he doesn’t spend time with the children to get any recognition. He simply enjoys his time with them at Senses and Dubai Autism Centre - and hopes he can help in his own way.
“For children with autism, music is very important,” says Sara Baker, head of community service at Dubai Autism Center. “It lets them be themselves and helps them to express their inner struggles. It is great that Johnny is able to bring this joy into their lives.”
It is not only music that Johnny brings to these young people, he also works hard to raise much-needed funds. He has been instrumental in bringing companies like Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Dubai International Financial Centre and Marriott Hotels, as well as individuals to the centre so they can have a first-hand look at how the centre operates. Most often these visits translate into donations and sponsorships.
Global reach
Johnny also helps organise parties for the children at the centres. These fun gatherings include other musicians, comedians, dancers, snacks and balloons.
Now though, he now wants to reach out to children worldwide. Through his ambitious project called Johnny’s Magical Musical Tour that starts next month, he plans to visit 35 countries on four continents performing in each one. As part of this tour he will visit 70 special-needs centres and orphanages. “I want to spread laughter and music to the lives of children in these countries as well. Along the way I want to gather more voices to support them and to help them lead a better life,” he says.
He will spend a week in each city and visit two special-needs centres in each. Through musical events and fund-raising dinners he plans to make people in those cities more aware about special-needs children and get financial support for them. He is hoping to raise a total of Dh70,000 – Dh1.000 for each centre.
The tour will be conducted in five phases. In the first he will visit Senses in Dubai towards the end of September, then he will go to Doha, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in October. He also plans to have a public head shaving on September 7, which will be sponsored to raise awareness and funds for the tour.
In the second phase he will visit Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Philippines and Indonesia. Next, he will cover Latin American, Eastern Europe and Africa.
Sponsors can choose a country from the tour then pledge Dh1,000 and the money will go to a centre in that country. The money will be used to pay for the things that each centre needs in order to improve these children’s lives.
Travelling and singing for a cause is not new to Johnny. He has been to 45 countries and has sung for cancer patients before. During his travels he visits the back streets and alleys of a city to experience the life of the poor. By singing a song he tries to bring a smile to the faces of those who are less fortunate than him. “I try to make a difference in whatever way I can,” says Johnny.
For more information visit Johnny's facebook page
- Making a difference
- Who: Johnny Miller
- What: Performs music for special-needs children
- Where: Dubai
