[blindkid] Seeking Braille Instructional Piano Music Book(s) of Lessons

[Bonnie Lucas]

Hello Eric &Rasa,

I thought that many folks would have responded to your query before me! I
have several thoughts about music reading. First, there is a course, with
focus on piano playing that the music department of NLS has. It is by
Richard Tasch and is a systematic teaching of Braille music. There is a
print copy of the course which allows a sighted piano teacher to work
through the program with the child. Of course, the challenge is that your
boys are way past what the book teaches you to do because, at least in the
first course, the pieces are just exercises and are quite simple. Also,
there is a certain amount of focus on sight singing which, I think, is
crucial to becoming a really good Braille music reader. So, it seems
apparent that a little back tracking has to be done if your child plays
piano, but, I think with determination on the part of the teacher, students
and parents, can be done. Also if you go to menvi.org, there may be a
teacher with some other suggestions. RNIB from the United Kingdom, may have
some piano books which include pieces with advancing skills and there may
also be some from NLS. We recently borrowed some Braille music theory books
from RNIB, through NLS for Aubrie. The last thing I can suggest is that
Vejas (probably spelled wrong), start taking band or orchestra and using the
"How to Read Braille Music,"  by Richard Tasch, he begin with a new
instrument at the beginning of learning to read Braille music. When I was a
student at the blind school, way too many years ago, we used the Thompson
series but the pieces were in there with no explanations of more advanced
code. The teacher explained everything as we progressed. If their teacher
were interested, he could get the info on the music transcribing course from
the music division of NLS and learn how to read it.  A bit of rambling and
brainstorming but I hope that helps. Please write me offline if you would
like to discuss this further.
Sincerely
Bonnie 



-----Original Message-----
From: DrV [mailto:icdx at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 10:11 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children); NFB of
California List
Subject: [blindkid] Seeking Braille Instructional Piano Music Book(s) of
Lessons


Hi Everyone,

Our sons have been taking piano lessons for a number of years.

They learned their lessons initially by listening to the pieces being played

or the notes and symbols being told to them measure by measure.

Presently they have a great piano teacher, a jazz musician, who has them 
record the pieces on their Braille-note.

He is interested in teaching them the pieces in Braille.

Their teacher has read "Who's Afraid of Braille Music?" and "How to Read 
Braille Music An Introduction" by Bettye Krolick, but what he is looking for

is an instructional book of lessons, which will gradually teach them music 
Braille with actual pieces; just like in print, as in the Faber piano 
series.

We would appreciate any thoughts/insights.

Sincerely,

Eric & Rasa