[MusicTlk] A Clarification on the Purpose of and Reason for the Blind Musicians Group

[Chris Nusbaum]

Dear Friends:

Since our national convention, when the Blind Musicians Group held a meeting which was attended by many Federationists who were previously unfamiliar with our group, a number of people have asked me about the purpose of the Blind Musicians Group, particularly the reason for our continued status as a separate entity from the NFB Performing Arts Division (PAD). I don't know if Linda has also received any such questions, but I believe they are valid inquiries which ought to be addressed. Therefore, I'm writing to provide the best response I can to the questions I have been asked which I hope will be beneficial to all of our members.

As I understand it, both the Blind Musians Group and the Performing Arts Division were created out of the NFB Music Division, which existed as a formal division of the Federation during the 1970s and 80s. After that division disbanded, blind musicians continued to meet at national conventions under the auspices of a more informal Blind Musicians Group, which exists to the present day. Then, the Performing Arts Division was formed in 2000 to expand the mission of the former Music Division to include all performing arts rather than exclusively music. Though musicians are of course welcome to join and participate in PAD (and many of us do), the Blind Musicians Group still exists to provide musicians an opportunity to network and discuss common interests among themselves.

To understand the reason for the continued existence of the Musicians Group, I think it is important to understand the difference between groups and divisions in the Federation. A division is essentially a sub-organization of the Federation, similar to state affiliates and local chapters. Divisions have a formal organizational structure with officers, Board members and a Constitution, and they undertake certain special projects under the banner of their organizations. Conversely, a group is an informal association of NFB members who come together to discuss common interests in an "open forum" setting. Though each group has a Chairperson or Coordinator (or more than one), no Board of Directors exists and no membership dues are collected. So, in essence, the difference between the Performing Arts Division and the Blind Musicians Group is that PAD has a formal organizational structure, whereas the BMG is merely an informal discussion forum which can also facilitate networking.

In summary, BMG exists as a forum for discussing music and making connections between blind musicians. PAD exists for a similar purpose, with the difference being that it includes all performing arts and its projects are carried out in a more formal setting. There is no animus or enmity between the two organizations. In fact, we intend to collaborate with PAD on more projects in the future because we recognize the overlap between our two purposes. I hope this explanation clears a better explanation of how the BMG works and clears up any misunderstandings. Please feel free to direct any questions to Linda or myself. Thank you for your continued participation in the Blind Musicians Group!

Warmly,

Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
Blind Musicians Group
National Federation of the Blind