[Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Tue Feb 21 17:24:00 EST 2012

Borrow Techniques and Materials of Tonal Music from NLS.  

Debra

-----Original Message-----
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org
[mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Sonja Biggs
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 2:46 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Thank you, Jeff. This year he has applied to UC Santa Cruz, Cal State East
Bay (where his current voice teacher teaches), and University of the
Pacific. His mentor graduated from the University of the Pacific and highly
recommends it to him. She is an opera singer here in the Bay area who has
taken Brandon under her wing. Brandon now studies with her voice instructor,
Pamela Hicks, who teaches at Cal State East Bay. Pamela has been good for
Brandon in taking him further in his voice development. Brandon's first
choice is the University of the Pacific. His second choice is UC Santa Cruz
(there is a blind voice instructor there), and then Cal State East Bay. We
are waiting to hear from those schools. He has auditioned at University of
the Pacific and UC Santa Cruz already. His audition for Cal State East Bay
is this coming Friday. He has been accepted into the general university of
Cal State East Bay (waiting to do the audition and find out about the opera
program), invited to join the opera program at UC Santa Cruz (waiting to
find out the general acceptance into the university), and waiting for both
acceptances from University of the Pacific (hopefully we will know by March
1). Everyone we met at UoP was exceptional from the disability coordinator
to the professors. We have visited there three times already. 

I think with the help of this listserve, Brandon has been given some really
good ideas for approaching his current music theory teacher. His disability
coordinator is really good about doing what she can to help him. The
department at Foothill is in a bit of a flux right now since the director of
the disability center just retired in the middle of the year leaving
everyone in the department rather short-handed and disorganized. I didn't
know until I started reading these posts that he did not have the theory
book used in the class in braille. I thought he had everything he needed.

A few of the conservatories he applied to last year would not provide
feedback. His weak point was his lack of knowledge of braille music and
music theory. I observed the professors (older men in their 70's and 80's)
that were judging at the auditions and noticed that as soon as they saw
Brandon's cane, their faces became stone cold and their demeanor changed to
be condescending before they even listened to him. It was very visable and
my heart sank as I realized they had already written him off even before
listening to him perform. Afterward I joked that if it had been older women
in their 70's and 80's Brandon would have been admitted immediately. For
some reason, older women just love him! It is going to be a long, hard road
for Brandon in overcoming the prejudices toward blind performers. I am
thankful that many times he cannot see the hard lines that develop on the
faces of those who harbor prejudice against blindness. It is so very visable
and recognizable. I am constantly biting my tongue and reminding myself to
be professional and pleasant to these people since Brandon may have to
interact with them again sometime in his musical career. He is always polite
and sweet no matter how these people treat him. I know people who are blind
hate to be called amazing, but in my eyes, he is amazing. He perserveres and
does not give up. He has a great attitude, is polite, and strives to be the
best he can be. He works hard and meets adversity head on without letting it
get him down emotionally. I don't know that I could be as strong as he is in
the same situation. I respect and love my son even more for the kind of
person he is. He makes me a proud parent, to say the least. 

Thank you again, Jeff. Your comments are appreciated. I have learned so much
just from reading the posts on this listserve.  

Sonja Biggs, MA, TVI, COMS
Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired
2470 El Camino Real, Suite 107
Palo Alto, CA  94306
650-833-9766

"Dream the impossible dream...then live it!" --Brandon Keith Biggs, Age 19,
Blind Performer, LCA-CRB1

NOTE:  Confidential.  This FAX/Email and any attachments are private and are
intended only for the use of the addressee(s), may contain privileged and/or
confidential information.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are
hereby notified that the use, dissemination, distribution, or copying of
this FAX/Email and/or the attachments is strictly prohibited and in
violation of the Federal Law (HIPAA).
________________________________________
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
Behalf Of Gillespie, Jeffrey [jgillesp at butler.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 10:55 AM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Hi:

I'm a college music theory professor, sighted.  I'm sorry about what you all
have gone through. My advice would be to find a music theory tutor in your
area.  Often universities are able to hook students up with tutors.  I'm
just trying to think of a way to bypass this bad theory course Brandon is
currently in.  To be honest, the problem with that class is the poor
teaching, period.

I'm also curious about the schools that Brandon was not accepted at.  You
mention five conservatories back east.  My opinion is that it's good to
apply to a variety of institutions - not just conservatories.  I teach at a
liberal arts university with a top-notch school of music.  Indiana
University is close by and they do a great job with accessibility for blind
music students.  They recently had a student complete his entire music
degree there, and he received all sorts of accommodations and help.  That is
not a conservatory, but it's one of the top 2-3 music schools in the
country.  I believe you need some good advice form someone on which schools
to apply.

Many colleges (including mine) offer a remedial theory course for any music
students admitted who have had no music theory at all prior to college.
They aren't denied admission because of any deficiency in music theory.
They just get caught up when they get here.

Did you get feedback from these schools regarding exactly why Brandon wasn't
accepted?  That would be important as well.

Jeff Gillespie
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN
________________________________________
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] on
behalf of Sonja Biggs [sbiggs at vistacenter.org]
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 1:23 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Brandon has been seriously dedicated to learning music since the age of 14.
He just turned 20.  Unfortunately, he has always had to find out for himself
how to do it. When he was in highschool, even though I asked for it in the
IEP, he was refused braille music instruction on the basis that there was no
one that could teach it and the other students in choir weren't learning it.
When we moved to CA, it was still denied on his IEP by the district because
there was no one in the Santa Clara County of Education Visually Impaired
Program that could teach it. All of this made me very angry, as a parent,
but I did not know what to do either. I had never heard of MENVI and had
only barely heard of Dancing Dots. We discovered only last year about this
listserve, got the Dancing Dots programs for Brandon, and met Grant H. and
Ayaka at CTEBVI. Brandon has taught himself braille music through the
Dancing Dot materials in the last year when we finally found out what was
available. He has been basically teaching himself music theory until this
school year by reading books on his own. We were really hoping this theory
class would be what he needed. But it is not. Neither of his parents are
musical. We have tried our best to provide for him, but it has been
difficult to learn what is available and then getting him what he needs.
Now, it breaks my heart to hear that he is  not really learning what is
important in his music theory class. I copied a sample theory placement test
and had him take that to his teacher so at least those concepts would be
addressed. I am thankful for Betty Downing transcribing the music for him.
If it wasn't for this list, we would have never found her. Brandon learns so
quickly and is so focused and dedicated. It was crushing for us to spend
$3000 last year for applications, auditions, and traveling to 5
conservatories back east, only to be denied to all five. We knew that his
best instruction would come from a conservatory. However, his lack of
instruction in braille music and music theory really hurt him. He has
focused heavily this year on filling in that gap in his education. We are
praying he gets admitted to the University of the Pacific where he can
really learn all that is necessary to learn about music. He is very gifted
and to see him struggle to get the education he deserves and needs is gut
wrenching to me. Perhaps you have heard this hundreds of times about other
students. I just wish that there was a way we could make it more known how
to have an accessible music education so other students don't have to go
through the heartache that our family has.

Sonja Biggs, MA, TVI, COMS
Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired
2470 El Camino Real, Suite 107
Palo Alto, CA  94306
650-833-9766

"Dream the impossible dream...then live it!" --Brandon Keith Biggs, Age 19,
Blind Performer, LCA-CRB1

NOTE:  Confidential.  This FAX/Email and any attachments are private and are
intended only for the use of the addressee(s), may contain privileged and/or
confidential information.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are
hereby notified that the use, dissemination, distribution, or copying of
this FAX/Email and/or the attachments is strictly prohibited and in
violation of the Federal Law (HIPAA).
________________________________________
From: menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On
Behalf Of Brandon Keith Biggs [brandonboy13 at comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 8:47 AM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Hello,
I auditioned for 5 conservatories last year and didn't get into any of them.
This year I've auditioned for 3 and I'm partially in 2 and I'm waiting on
the 3rd. The reason why I went to a community College first was because I
wanted to start college early and I wanted to make sure I knew without a
doubt that music was the path I wanted to go. I've been at this college for
4 years and it was a year ago that I finally started the music path, so I
need this class and the same class next quarter to graduate. I had a feeling
this would happen last year, but being rejected from every conservatory kind
of put a damper on my high expectations.
I'm applying to University of the Pacific this year and I'm waiting to hear
in March if I got in. (I'm having nightmares of getting a rejection letter
from them!)
I'm also applying to UCSC and CSU Eastbay in CA as backup and I'm partially
in both of those.
I'm kind of frantic to get out of this college...
Thanks,

Brandon Keith Biggs
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Smart
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 8:09 AM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Suggestions for expediting assignments.

Brandon, can I ask something? Feel free to tell me if I'm totally
off the mark here. But, if you're so kean on music, and fairly
knowledgeable already, why aren't you enrolled in a good music
program somewhere? It sounds like you may be wasting your time in
this class.
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