A flute and piano performance double-major, Jay'd Hagberg, '13 also plays more than 30 instruments, composes music, and tap dances—despite being legally deaf.
At age six, Jay'd recalls being deeply touched while watching acclaimed flutist James Galway playing on television. He determined then that he wanted to play flute, too. His youthful excitement evolved into a passionate drive to continuing playing music, even as he experienced progressive hearing loss.
"I have learned to hear with both my residual hearing, which is only 15 percent in one ear, and my entire body," explains the scholarship student from Crosby, Minn. "The vibrations of the instrument in my hands along with the vibrations of other instruments resonate through my core in a common beat that I can feel in the floor and in my heart."
Propelled by his immeasurable love of music and a supportive mother, Jay'd stayed true to his dream when his high school's music program was cut. "At age 15, I moved alone to the Twin Cities to live with a host family and continue my performing arts education," he says.
Coming from a cash-strapped, single-parent home, Jay'd initially wasn't sure college would be in his future. "I wouldn't be here at the University without financial assistance," he admits. "Thanks to scholarships, I am moving closer to my dream of playing flute with a major orchestra."
View the video with closed captions on the Foundation's YouTube channel.