People and music are everywhere. Written music is an international language, including braille music notation. And there are individuals, groups and organizations around the world working to create and/or disseminate braille music. The NLS Music Section is one of those players. We are not alone. Last week I received a written inquiry from the Siloam …
As a musical direction, “tutti” means everyone, all voices, not just the sopranos, or the bass soloist, who just finished an aria. A musical work often requires many participants, as do many human endeavors. I recently blogged here about participating in a meeting with braille music transcribers. I observed how they consulted each other on …
Transcribers. Where would we be without them? All of us who provide braille music, or who need and use braille music, are indebted to the labors of braille music transcribers. So how do you become a music transcriber? (Hint: We need more.) The first step is to take and pass the literary braille course, offered …
This blog, NLS Music Notes, serves many different purposes, but a general one is getting out the word on the Music Section and the services that it provides. But there are other avenues for outreach. One is exhibiting at conferences of one sort or another. Last year Music Section blogger Amanda Smith wrote about her …
THIS IS A GUEST BLOG BY DONNA KOH, Music Reader Services Librarian in the Music Section As a piano teacher, I’ve witnessed countless times how a student perks up when I start playing the teacher’s duet part during their lesson. It’s a great joy to see a smile spread across the student’s face as the simple …
A couple of weeks ago, one of my colleagues here at NLS, David Fernandez-Barrial, asked me if I had seen the Grammy award ceremony (which took place Monday, February 15, 2016). I had to admit I hadn’t; I was, uh, practicing my Hindemith songs. Well, it turns out that Stevie Wonder, one of the presenters at …
The following is a guest blog by Donna Koh, Music Reader Services Librarian in the Music Section. There are a few experiences in my life that I know I will never forget. One of them took place when I was 9 years old and living in Korea. One evening, my piano teacher called my …
Dear Readers, This is the FOURTH post announcing a new set of braille scores that are free for the asking. There are more than 100 scores in the new spreadsheet list. As before, these are scores that have been received over the years as gifts from individuals, libraries and braille producers. They are duplicates of …
The following is a guest blog by Donna Koh, Music Reader Services Librarian This blog is for those classical music lovers who marvel at the beauty and versatility of the human voice but find many operas overdramatic, long and overwhelming. If I may make a confession, I am one of those music lovers. Fortunately for …
