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Remembering Ned Rorem

Posted by: Brian McCurdy

Ned Rorem, who passed away last month at the age of 99, left behind a wealth of music and literature. For this week's NLS Music Notes blog post, learn more about Rorem's life and creative works.

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19th-Century Tactile Music Notation in Spain

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Did you know that systems of tactile music notation were created in the 19th century to enable people who were blind to read and write music? Today, we will learn about two systems that were developed and used in Spain before braille music code gained widespread adoption in the 20th century.

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Back to School with Braille Music, Band Books, and Bastien!

Posted by: Lindsay Conway

Head back to school with new braille music and new educational materials from the NLS Music Section! We have many new books for learning to read braille music, a variety of band instruments, and the piano.

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Stars of the Conservatoire Américain de Fontainebleau

Posted by: Donna Koh

Hollywood is abuzz in anticipation of the annual Academy Awards ceremony coming up on February 9th. I’ll admit that regardless of how late it is on Sunday night, I stay up to find out who the winners are. Equally exciting for people who are starstruck like me is when iconic film stars or other celebrities …

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Piano Lessons Made-to-Measure: An Interview with Dr. Leslie Jones About Teaching Visually Impaired Students, Part 2

Posted by: Donna Koh

This is the second part of my interview with Dr. Leslie Jones. DK: What tools and skills should these students be taught in order for them to be successful independent learners? LJ: Learning the language of any musician: music theory—pitch, rhythm, keys; using the measure numbers as points of reference in rehearsals, lessons and practice. …

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Piano Lessons Made-to-Measure: An Interview with Dr. Leslie Jones About Teaching Visually Impaired Students, Part 1

Posted by: Donna Koh

This blog is intended as a resource for sighted music teachers who may feel intimidated by the thought of accepting blind or visually impaired (VI) students into their studio due to lack of knowledge of how to best serve these students. Recently, I reached out to Dr. Leslie Jones, who has been serving as the …

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A Community Music School for Blind and Visually Impaired Students, Part 2

Posted by: Donna Koh

Continued from last week. Part 2 My second day at the school, which was a Saturday, was spent observing private lessons and group classes. Saturday at the school is mostly reserved for the youth programs. I was eager to attend as many lessons as possible and what I saw was fascinating and memorable. I attended …