Blind Center of Nevada gives local musician, Christian Anorve, the opportunity to play in their band despite his limited eyesight.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — For Christian Anorve, music has always been a passion. He said his parents raised him to be a music fan from a young age.
“Because of my dad, I know disco,” he said with a laugh! “That’s something I would never have been taught if my parents were not into music.”
However, Anorve says he’s more of a fan of heavy metal music. He plays electric bass in a rock band at the Blind Center of Nevada. Despite having very limited eyesight, he can pop and slap the strings with the effortlessness of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea.
“The right way to play is to feel,” he said. “Ask any musician, they can play with their eyes closed.”
Anorve said he was born completely blind, but a series of surgeries at age three allowed him to see and make out colors. At age 16, he slowly lost sight in his left eye. He describes his vision today as “very, very limited.”
In 2015, Anorve’s friend Gus Garcia at the Blind Center approached him about playing in the band. Anorve had briefly taken guitar lessons but had otherwise never had any experience playing an instrument, but Garcia said he would teach him to play bass.
“At the time I was really looking for work, so I kind of didn’t have anything going on,” Anorve said. “So I said OK, we’ll give it a shot.
Two weeks later, I was playing my first gig.”
What was a favor for a friend turned into Anorve becoming a regular at the Blind Center. He now works there as a data removal specialist, helping clear and refurbish laptops and computers for resale on eBay.
“Because of music, I work here now,” he said. “It’s all based on hard work; show how hard of a worker you are on something, people will take notice.”
Five years later, Anorve has become a proficient bassist and has played in several shows with the Blind Center band, now on hiatus due to COVID-19. But that doesn’t stop Anorve from singing the praises of what the Center has done for him.
“Take it from me, as someone who came with only the intentions to help out a friend,” he said. “I’ve gotten proficient playing an instrument, to working and making money, to finding the love of his life. I found all of that here.”
Anorve is getting married in May 2021.
“I’ve gotten the most out of what the Blind Center can do for you,” he said!
