[blindkid] Braille music (was Re: Jordan Is In!!)

Thu Jan 29 18:52:58 UTC 2009

Hello Sally and List:

     As an amateur musician with a minor in music, I think knowing braille 
music is very important. That said, the reality is that we will use a 
variety of methods to learn our music. Some will be learned by reading the 
music and some will be learned by playing by ear.

Regards,

Robert

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy & Sally Thomas" <andysally at comcast.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!

>I feel kind of stupid asking the question.  I was sitting in a room with 
>the director of special education, 2 other special ed "officials," a couple 
>of TVI's, 2 braillists and who knows who else.  The trainer from TSBVI 
>tells me to think about the one handed instrument.  In the moment I'm 
>thinking that certainly she knows more about this than I do.  I wish I'd 
>responded differently to her since I really was considering it.
>
> The good side is that the school district is buying Goodfeel and 
> introduced the band and choir directors in the middle school to the 
> concept that blind kids can be musicians.  The directors are excited about 
> the possibilities and are anxious to teach music to a couple of blind 
> kids!  While I agree that training your ear is a good thing, understanding 
> music if you are in an ensemble does have advantages.
>
> Sally
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 10:47 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>
>
>> Well Sally, I am sorry but your post provided me with a great laugh this
>> morning. Just when I think I have heard every excuse or myth or 
>> artificial
>> limit, I learn a new one. So we either scream, cry or laugh-I went for
>> laughing this morning.
>>
>> Let's see, how many instruments can be played with one hand only? I guess
>> there is the CAN be like if you only physically had one hand, and then 
>> there
>> is the typical. Anyway, blind people play all kinds of instruments and 
>> make
>> the choice as does everyone else by desire, ability to blow and use air 
>> (I
>> can't spell am-be-shure) and often the choice is made because the parents
>> have an instrument or the school and this is what you get-that is how my
>> husband became a tuba player. My husband is a high school band director.
>>
>> Many blind musicians do not even know Braille music. But it is very good 
>> if
>> you can. Blind musicians have to memorize and it will actually cause him 
>> to
>> have to rehearse more and be a better player because of it. The new 
>> software
>> called "Smart Music" will be really helpful too.
>>
>> Jordan has loved the trombone and also played the baritone this year. I 
>> know
>> blind piano, trumpet, cello, percussion and many other instruments. They 
>> all
>> compete. The cellist is a music professor at a prestigious university 
>> here.
>>
>> No one can really play an instrument and read Braille music well at the 
>> same
>> time. Learning Braille music he will read ahead a few measures and then
>> play/practice...just like someone sighted might read ahead a few measures
>> and practices. The difference is he will have to memorize. Debby's 
>> daughter
>> is in band too right now-I think Winona is trumpet, maybe Debby can share
>> what they do with a "sight reading" exercise on the spot. He will have to
>> learn to play some by ear.
>>
>> I saw an interesting show on PBS with James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma, James 
>> can
>> not read one note of music--really not one-he is all by ear. Yo Yo is of
>> course a classically trained musician who can read music. Yo Yo actually
>> said that he thought James the better musician and that he had a freedom
>> that classically trained musicians struggle to get--they discussed how 
>> music
>> education could improve to contain more playing by ear and feeling and 
>> not
>> so in the box by the note read. My husband agreed and the profession is
>> leaning/exploring that way.
>>
>> Jordan would love to welcome David into the bonehead society-and feel 
>> free
>> to have David call him with questions about the trombone.
>>
>>
>> Carrie Gilmer, President
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
>> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
>> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
>> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
>> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Andy & Sally Thomas
>> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 6:59 AM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>>
>> Hey Carrie,
>>
>> I have a question for Jordon.  David wants to play the trombone in 
>> band--we
>> even HAVE a nice trombone so that is a plus.  Yesterday I was told that
>> blind kids should consider playing instruments that can be played with 
>> one
>> hand so they can read music and play at the same time.  This is important
>> for competitions, I'm told.  It appears that Jordon has been successful
>> enough with the trombone that he wants to continue playing into 
>> adulthood.
>> Does he have any regrets about not playing a one handed instrument?
>>
>> Sally Thomas
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
>> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:01 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>>
>>
>>> Hey Kassondra, thanks! He is currently most interested in Constitutional
>>> Law. He just finished his first course focused on Politics and Law and 
>>> the
>>> teacher told him the last day that in her 35 years he was the most
>>> passionate student about the subject she had ever had. He got a very 
>>> easy
>>> "A" in it. He has been bouncing around--he was planning on becoming a
>>> lawyer-scientist-chemist-who is a Spanish translator who teaches band 
>>> and
>>> plays the trombone on the side-smile. I told him to decide by looking in
>>> his
>>> heart for the passion and what set him on fire the most.
>>>
>>> Now it looks like he has narrowed it to here come de judge (who can also
>>> translate Spanish, understand scientific data and environmental law, 
>>> stand
>>> up for human rights, plays trombone for stress relief, and reinstates 
>>> the
>>> white British wigs to the court)!
>>>
>>> We shall see, smile.
>>>
>>> It is so hard to believe this is the last half of his last year...time
>>> just
>>> flies. It seems like just so short ago that we sat on the picnic table
>>> outside BLIND, Inc. in the summer and you and Shawn were not even 
>>> married
>>> yet and Jordan was just 8 years old!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Carrie Gilmer, President
>>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>>> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
>>> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
>>> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
>>> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
>>> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Kasondra Payne
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:33 PM
>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'
>>> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Jordan Is In!!
>>>
>>> Carrie,
>>>
>>> Congratulations, from my family to yours!  I am glad he got in.  What 
>>> will
>>> he study?
>>>
>>> Kasondra Payne
>>>
>>>
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>>
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