Hanna Graeffe wrote:
"
>
> But what would the work in the choir be like if you ended up there
> without the necessary reading skills? Ofcourse, it depends on the
> choir, but I can't think of a good choir where you aren't required to
> learn fast. How would it feel like to stand among the other singers,
> get the music, and not be able to sing, because you haven't had a
> chance to practice it alone with a help of a piano or a recording? I
> don't think such a singer would last long.
Actually, in both choirs I sing in, there is a blind
singer. They have no problem learning the music. In the
community chorus, she gets someone to read the words into
her tape recorder, then she puts the words into Braille, and
she uses them during rehearsals and performances.
In my church choir, where we do a different anthem and hymns
every week, the blind singer has an amazing memory for music
and accompanying words. Except for very difficult parts, one
hearing and she has it (and she sings alto). Every once in a
while she has trouble figuring out how her part is supposed
to go, and she'll ask for a measure to two to be isolated
for her. Then she's got it. She also has perfect pitch, but
has no problem if we transpose or go flat. And she is
incredibly responsive, following the conductor as well or
better than the sighted singers. She does read braille
music, and has ordered parts for major works the choir has
sung (Elijah, Faure Requiem). But otherwise, regular
rehearsal is all she needs. I've known other people who
don't sight read, but more than make up for it with a quick
and rententive musical memory. After all, once the music is
learned, the sight-reading advantage goes away, and things
are evened up between the good readers and the not-so-good
readers.
Peggy
--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...
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