Accessibility

accessibility and Advocacy

Accessibility is an underrepresented need in the music community. There are thousands of blind musicians and actors registered for the NFB Performing Arts Division alone, and many other groups around the world with so many more. Blindness in Western music history is significantly ignored, and therefore, the pedagogy and tools needed to train as a blind musician are considerably underrepresented, both in academic and performing organizations.

The development and implementation of a standardized and flexible accessible music system remains an elusive goal for most schools, universities, professional institutions, and private studios. And while many believe that accommodating blind musicians is a “niche”, the need exists and it is our responsibility to work to achieve equality.

As a blind musician herself, navigating the Western musical system, Christina is an experienced advocator, mentor, and lecturer on accessibility. Specifically, she:

-Created and teaches her course “Accessibility is Not a Four-Letter Word”
-Provides one-on-one mentorship to teachers, students, or individuals
-Assists institutions and organizations in developing accessibility
-Trains faculty, staff, and organizations in active advocacy and accessibility
-Provides accessibility checks for institutions and organizations
-Maintains a library of accessible resources available for loan

If you would like to gain a better understanding of how you or your organization can make music-making, music appreciation, or music education accessible, contact Christina about scheduling a consultation meeting to discuss your needs.