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Posted by: Donna Koh
Today’s post is about the braille books in our collection that explain to blind readers how staff notation (print music) works. In case you are wondering why blind musicians need to know staff notation, two important reasons come to mind. First, music teachers who are visually impaired must be able to help their sighted students …
Posted in: Braille Music, Braille Technology, Tactile Graphics, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
This blog is a continuation of an interview with Chi Kim, instructor and professor at the assistive music technology (AMT) lab for blind and visually impaired students at Berklee College of Music.
Posted in: Blind Musicians, Blind Teachers, Braille Music, Interviews, Music Education, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
Part 1 The end goal for most college music students is to develop and cultivate skills to prepare for a successful musical career after graduation. For some music students with visual impairment (V.I.), just getting through the college degree program can be challenging. Here are some common reasons: inability to learn a large amount of …
Posted in: Blind Teachers, Braille Music, Braille Technology, Interviews, Music Education, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
Continued from last week 5. When should a music student start learning braille music? As soon as a youngster is reading braille somewhat comfortably, I believe they can begin to read music braille. If they keep playing by ear, then the desire to learn to read music diminishes. And sadly, very often there is no …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Donna Koh
Linn Sorge has been a NLS patron since she was in kindergarten some 60 years ago. I met Linn when I took “Braille Music Basics,” an excellent introductory online course to reading braille music offered through Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In addition to being a teacher at Hadley, Linn is an …
Posted in: Blind Musicians, Blind Teachers, Braille Music, Music Education, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
One of the most nerve-racking events I ever experienced as a music student was participating in master classes. I remember one class in particular vividly; the feeling of slight panic as the master class teacher repeated for the fourth time, “no, not like that, try again.” I could hear the audience shifting in their seats …
Posted in: Audio, Classical Music, Instrumental Music, Music History and Appreciation, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Performing music, Piano Music, Recordings, teachers, Vocal music
Posted by: Donna Koh
Continued from last week While Bettye Krolick’s How to Read Braille Music: An Introduction is suitable for students who already know the basics of music and only need to learn how to decipher braille music symbols, Richard Taesch’s An Introduction to Music for the Blind Student is suitable for students who are just starting their …
Posted in: Bettye Krolick, Blind Musicians, Blind Teachers, Braille Music, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
I always get excited when a patron requests a book on reading braille music because it means one more patron might be able to take advantage of our wonderful braille music collection. In my opinion, braille music readers have an edge over non-readers since they are able to explore and interpret the score themselves. In …
Posted in: Bettye Krolick, Blind Musicians, Braille, Braille Music, Classical Music, Instrumental Music, Music Education, Music Instruction, NLS Music Section, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Posted by: Donna Koh
Recently, I read Willie Nelson’s autobiography “It’s a Long Story.” Willie and his sister Bobbie were raised by their paternal grandparents who were avid amateur musicians. From when they were very young, the Nelson children spent much of their time making music together and singing gospel songs at their church. Willie still cherishes those times …
Posted in: Family music making, Folk Music, Instrumental Music, Vocal music