[NABS-L] Braille Music Courses

[Noah Carver]

Hi Sidney,

Hope this message finds you well.

I would respectfully push back against your (and your choir director's) assertion that Music Braille is not necessary. Speaking as someone with personal experience pursuing a music degree and career, music literacy is quite simply a bassline necessity for anyone wishing to succeed in this field, and the only true way to be musically literate as a Blind person is to use Music Braille. Yes, you can get pretty far simply learning by ear, but if you continue studying or playing music, you will eventually hit a plateau at which point you will need music literacy as a skill. Mind you, I'm not discounting the value of being able to learn music by ear. Even though I read Music Braille daily while at conservatory, I still learn lots of things by ear perhaps because it might take too long to get the Braille score, I've been asked to do a gig last minute, a Braille score isn't available, or for a number of other reasons, but learning by ear should absolutely not be the only tool available to you as a musician. In summary, it's quite unfortunate that your teacher discouraged you from learning Music Braille. It's an invaluable skill. In my opinion, every Blind person should learn Music Braille along with literary Braille and should have consistent exposure to it, especially given that sighted musicians in music classes are all taught the basics of the inkprint notation system and are expected to use it when learning instruments like recorders, etc. If someone doesn't choose to study music further, they've been given the same access as everyone else. If they do choose to study music further, they will have received (and will continue to receive) an education in musical literacy at parity with the education given to their sighted counterparts and will not struggle to catch up like I and so many Blind musicians have done when the necessity of music literacy finally became clear.

Hope this helps, and best of luck in your musical endeavors. Please consider learning Music Braille. If you would like any help, resources, suggestions, or support, please reach out to me. I am happy to help fellow musicians in any way I can.

Warmly,

Noah

--
Noah Carver (He/Him)
Candidate, B.M. '27, Applied Music (Performance) -- Voice
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
Board Member, National Association of Blind Students
Chair, Content Creation Committee, National Association of Blind Students
Chair, Students Committee, National Federation of the Blind of New York
+1 (207) 557-9143
noah.t.carver at outlook.com

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sidney Horn via NABS-L
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2025 12:05
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sidney Horn <sidneyh05 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NABS-L] Braille Music Courses

Hi MaKenzie,
I have actually never studied braille music. I've always listened to music by ear and picked up on it that way. I feel like so many of us do though to be honest. Learning by ear is very common for all of us. Even the choir drector here at my blind school does not teach braille music because it's why learn it when we can all just so easily pick up on all of it by ear? You know what I mean?
I do not know of any teachers who teach it. When I was younger, my former TVI did mention me possibly learning it, but I refused.
Sidney


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From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Makenzie Love via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2025 11:58:16 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Makenzie Love <love.makenzie07 at gmail.com>
Subject: [NABS-L] Braille Music Courses

Hello NABS,
I hope everyone is doing well and having a great weekend!
I am participating in a senior project for my AP Literature class, and the topic I chose was the impact of learning braille music in an educational seeting. For my practicum hours, I have to start learning the basics of braille music. Does anyone know of any programs that have courses on the subject, or teachers that have given lessons in the past or can recommend any other methods to learn the system? Any responses would be appreciated, and thank you for taking the time to read this email.

Kind regards,
MaKenzie Love
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