[Menvi-discuss] Guide Dogs and Performances

[Kelby Carlson]

This is slightly off topic, but I have a question for any 
musicians (particularly singers) who use dog guides.  I received 
my dog in July and went back to college in the fall.  During my 
jury at the end of my last semester my voice teacher (who is 
wonderful, but not the teacher I usually study with) asked me to 
not bring him on stage for the jury as she believed it would draw 
focus away from me.  Since it sort of came out of nowhere and it 
was very close to the end of the term I decided to acceed and not 
fight the battle, though I was not comfortable with the request.  
What do other blind musicians typically do with their dogs during 
solo performances? (Choir and opera performances are something 
else entirely.) Thanks for any advice on this.

Kelby S.  Carlson

Vanderbilt University