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Posted by: Katie Rodda
Next week, on October 22, the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) will present a concert by jazz pianist and NLS patron Justin Kauflin in the Coolidge Auditorium at 7:15 p.m. The performance is a celebration of 50 years of the Music Section, which provides braille scores and …
Posted in: Blind Musicians, Instrumental Music, Jazz, Piano
Posted by: Katie Rodda
Today we celebrate the 179th birthday of Camille Saint-Saëns, a famous French composer, most well-known for his works The Carnival of the Animals, Danse macabre, Samson and Delilah, and a number of other pieces. Saint-Saëns began his musical studies at the incredible age of three, while he was living with his mother and aunt in …
Posted in: Audio, Braille, Braille libretto, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Libretto, Metropolitan Opera, Music History and Appreciation, Piano
Posted by: Mary Dell Jenkins
As we add titles to our collection from the Smithsonian Collection, we are eagerly learning more about different music genres and their development, particularly of American Folk Music. When I was told I would have “other duties as assigned” there was no indication that those duties would be so enjoyable. I grew up listening to …
Posted in: Audio, Banjo, Bluegrass, Folk Music, Guitar instruction, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Popular Music
Posted by: Amanda Smith
The NLS Music Section recently acquired audio materials produced by Smithsonian Folkways. I would like to introduce and expand upon four new audio titles that are now available to our patrons. We are excited about these titles because we have added a new braille element to some of our audio. Read more about our new Smithsonian Folkways acquisitions — and our process …
Posted in: Audio, Folk Music, Jazz, Music History and Appreciation, New Acquisitions, Popular Music, Recordings
Posted by: John Hanson
What else do you do with music? Well, you can read it and write it, too. Or learn about it, a particular piece or song or genre. Or even analyze it. The Music Section has traditionally not provided music that is strictly for listening. This is because such music is readily available and accessible to …
Posted in: Braille, Folk Music, Recordings, Uncategorized
Posted by: Katie Rodda
This Saturday, Arnold Schoenberg celebrates his 140th birthday. All those who have studied music have come across Schoenberg’s compositions in one way or another, and whether they love, despise, or are intrigued by his works, it’s undeniable that Schoenberg had an enormous impact on 20th and 21st century art music. I must admit, I have …
Posted in: Arnold Schoenberg, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Music History and Appreciation, Piano
Posted by: Mary Dell Jenkins
When you say the word music, people usually agree that they like it. In fact, I’ve never heard anyone say anything else; and if they didn’t like music, that would be a sad day for me. But, music covers a lot of territory, and people have their reasons for liking or identifying with what appeals to …
Posted in: Braille Music, Jazz, Music Instruction, Piano, Popular Music, Popular Music Lead Sheets
Posted by: Amanda Smith
I grew up in the foothills of North Carolina in an area where music styles and lyrics known to the Southern Appalachians trickled down and nestled in my bones. In writing about the music culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains, what would a discussion of NC mountain music be without the mention of legendary guitar …
Posted in: Audio, Blind Musicians, Folk Music, Guitar instruction, Music Instruction, Uncategorized
Posted by: Katie Rodda
Although the majority of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Music Section’s collection deals with classical music, we also have a wide array of materials dedicated to the great American art form–jazz. In this blog post, I will detail some of the special format materials in our collection that jazz …
Posted in: Audio, Braille Music, Instrumental Music, Jazz, Large Print, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Piano, Uncategorized