How Useful is Braille Music? A Critical Review

This article discusses the usefulness of Braille music as a mediational means for musicians with visual impairment (MVI). Specifically, three broad issues are the focus of this study: (1) three notions as the conceptual frameworks, namely, mediation, appropriation and mastery; (2) three criteria of the usefulness of Braille music, including adaptability, learnability and availability; and (3) three alternative channels to Braille music: auditory input, haptic sense and technical devices. Based on this structure, the author interviewed nine music teachers and seven students with visual impairment at a specialised school for the blind in Korea. The major findings of this research are as follows. Firstly, Braille music alone cannot be a sufficient tool for practice, and the combination of alternative tools is expected. Secondly, the current level of development, diffusion and employment of Braille music in Korea is not satisfactory. Thirdly and finally, more effort should be invested to make Braille music more adapted to the needs and conditions of MVI, more appropriate to learn and utilise, and more available to be accustomed to.