Pictures from the 2004 and 2005 Summer programs in Philadelphia.
Summer Braille Music Institute, a one-week seminar for studying music and music theory at the high school and college level.
Place: Overbrook School for the Blind, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Details and application procedures in the next section, Summer Institute Brochure
In the past twelve years, eighty-seven students, from twenty-five states and four countries, have come to our summer program to study braille music, music theory, and technology, and hone the skills they need to be successful in music courses at the college level. After this immersion into an academic and musical experience on a school campus, they have come away with new knowledge of resources, with a confidence inspired by practicing campus living, and with a network of mentors and friends, to whom they can turn for help and encouragement as they continue their education.
Formerly in Bridgeport, now in Philadelphia.
For the first six years, the Institute was a three-week program held on a college campus in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Catering to slightly younger students, it included ensembles culminating in a concert, and many field trips. By virtue of its being on a college campus, it gave students more opportunities to practice skills they would be using on their own in college. After one year in Georgia at Agnes Scott College and another doing special projects, the program has settled into its current home at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia. Compressing the program into a one-week intensive de-emphasizes the performance aspect and extensive campus travel, but provides in their stead an environment where the serious student can delve into braille music and get answers from teachers and mentors on resources and strategies particularly relevant for the immediate needs of studying music and music theory at the college level.
Plans for 2009
Exact dates and details for the 2009 program at the Overbrook School will not be announced for a few months, but we welcome inquiries. Applications will be available in December, with a final deadline of May 6, 2009. As in past years, it will be designed for students going into eleventh grade and older, who have started their study of music theory in school and are ready to develop skill in reading braille music and to use music software to submit assignments in print. We are looking for students who are motivated to put effort into studying braille music and understand the need for knowing how to deal with college music requirements and finding resources. Space is available for six to eight students. Students must demonstrate they have the independence skills, social readiness and maturity to be a contributing part of a close-knit group.Other features of the Institute include a limited number of intern opportunities for sighted music and vision teachers and education students. Parents and teachers can arrange to bring younger students, or those with particular needs, for a visit for evaluation and guidance from our teaching staff. Those interested should E-mail the Resource Center at info@blindmusicstudent.org. Program descriptions and appplication procedures will be found in the nextsections.
The National Resource Center is ready and willing to help meet music education needs. Much of our time is devoted to answering questions by E-mail and phone, and we are developing ways to teach some of the subjects at the Institute online. We can provide workshops and activities in Connecticut and surrounding states. In some cases staff can travel elsewhere to assist teachers and school districts. Feel free to contact us. Please consider filling out our Survey Form to aid us in future planning and to be kept apprised of activities.
Section 1: Summer Institute Brochure with program description and application procedure Section 2: Request an Application - Online Request Form Section 3:Celebrating the First Six Years: A Tour in Words and Pictures of the Original Program in Bridgeport.Select a section from the table of contents or use the navigation links below.