In ‘For the Left Hand,’ Pianist Overcomes Paralysis to Perform


Norman Malone never gave up on his dream of becoming a concert pianist – despite a violent attack by his father that left his right side paralyzed at the age of 10.

The Chicagoan’s unwavering journey to his orchestral debut at the age of 79 is the subject of the film  “For the Left Hand” airing at 9 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday on WTTW and available to stream.

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The documentary highlights the lives Malone touched as a Chicago public high school music teacher for 34 years as well as his quest to commission and explore more left-handed repertoire.

A central composition in the film is French composer Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, commissioned by Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm during World War I. Malone performed the piece during his 2016 orchestral debut with the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

Gordon Quinn, the executive producer of “For the Left Hand” and co-founder of Kartemquin Films, joins “Chicago Tonight” to discuss the film.


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