HOPE for the Future

by Kimberly Mansi

Thank you for the opportunity to study Flute under the direction of Linda White here at The Music Settlement. I am extremely humbled by this opportunity as I was gifted a merit scholarship awarded through the Berton Siegel Scholarship Fund. I am currently a music student suffering from vision loss. As I struggle with vision loss, I struggle to learn new ways to play and read music as a community music player.

This year I have become declared officially Legally blind and playing music has become more challenging. However, through my music lessons I have been able to explore alternative methods to reading and playing music. My teacher, Linda White and I have explored technology features offered on my iPad and I have begun utilizing these methods in my music lessons. Additionally we have explored playing music from memory and by ear while pairing this with musical scales and theory which complement the piece I am currently studying.

At times, vision loss can be overwhelming but the opportunity to learn new techniques to play music with new technology has provided me with the skills to keep up with my first love of music. Using these new tools while experiencing vision loss provides me with HOPE for a future that is colored in the sounds that as a child I grew up loving. It also allows me to participate in a past time that brings me comfort and joy.

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We all need stories that move us. To help others recall their own stories and inspire them to share those stories. We need stories to invite others into our community of people transformed by the power of music. What is your music story? How has music changed you?

Share Your Music Story