Introduction
Memorising music and being able to play without a score is often considered a gift, possessed by some, aspired to by others and considered impossible by many. Apart from Western Classical music however, it is a fundamental part of making music.
For blind and partially sighted musicians who are not able to read and play music at the same time, memorising music is unavoidable both for performance and teaching.
This page provides links to a collection of articles written by blind and partially sighted musicians who each have an insight into this topic.
The aims of the articles are:
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To offer some ideas and encouragement to musicians who are no longer able to read and play music at the same time due to sight loss;
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To offer background reading and ideas for instrumental and classroom teachers who are working with blind or partially sighted students;
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To provide an opportunity for blind and partially sighted musicians to share ideas and develop their own strategies for memorising music through peer support;
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To provide the basis for more thorough investigation and research which, it is hoped, will serve to improve our understanding of how blind and partially sighted musicians at all levels learn, retain and perform music from memory.
How you can get involved
RNIB's Music Advisory Service is researching the topic of memorising music and would welcome comments and contributions from anyone interested.
We are seeking articles of between 500 and 1,500 words by anyone with an interest or direct experience in this area.
If you would like to contribute to this collection, please get in touch by email to mas@rnib.org.uk with an outline of your proposed article.
If you would like to discuss any of the topics raised in this collection, why not start a discussion on our MusicMakers forum.
A trip down Memory Lane
James Risdon, RNIB's Music Officer, opens the series, drawing on examples from his own experience as a recorder player and clarinettist.
An organist's reflections
Renowned concert organist David Aprahamian Liddle offers his personal insight into his work as a concert organist, memorising the organ works of Widor and Vierne. He touches on the challenge of finding authentic and accurate scores, and the pitfalls of working with differing conventions in the braille music code over the past century.
A challenge met
In this inspiring account, flute teacher and events coordinator Liz Hargest describes how she achieved a long-held ambition to play in the Ely Sinfonia and how she overcame the challenges of learning the music and playing without seeing the conductor.
Playing without notes
Alan Davis is an eminent recorder player, teacher, composer and writer, whose sight loss forced him to learn to play from memory. Although written with the recorder in mind, this article offers some very practical suggestions for anyone wishing to develop their own ability to play from memory, and avoid memory failure. In considering conscious and subconscious levels of musical memory, he describes how associating colours with musical notes, keys and fingerings can help.
Synaesthesia and musical memory
Angela Purll, a post-graduate flute and organ student, explores the fascinating area of synaesthesia, in particular the association of music and colour in blind and partially sighted musicians. Here, she presents the findings of her research.
Top ten strategies for memorising
James Risdon offers his own top ten strategies for committing music to memory. If you would like to disagree, please email mas@rnib.org.uk