Last month, the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled kicked off a new virtual program, called Music Introduction & Exploration, in partnership with New York’s Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School (FMDG). Designed for blind and low-vision youth ages 8–15, the 8-week program is built with accessibility in mind. It features the melodica, a free-reed wind instrument that combines a keyboard with a harmonica or accordion, played by blowing air through a mouthpiece while pressing keys to produce a reedy, piano-like sound.
"We chose the melodica as a primary tool because it’s the perfect bridge between a wind instrument and a keyboard. It allows students to control sound with their breath—almost like singing—which makes exploring parameters like pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation incredibly intuitive.” shares music instructor Pablo Rodriguez.
Creating an accessible virtual music environment can be challenging, but the FMDG team tackled it head-on. By combining high-fidelity "original audio" via Zoom with streaming tools like OBS, instructors provided enlarged visual aids for low-vision students, ensuring a smooth and accessible learning experience for all 10 enrolled participants.
Youth Librarian Denise Bean described the program development as highly rewarding. “The whole music program was developed with the students in mind.” Before classes began, she collaborated with FMDG to send out a music evaluation to students and families. The evaluation assessed prior music knowledge, preferences, and accessibility needs. “From there, they (FMDG) took the notes from the evaluation, and built the program specifically around the students’ interests and needs,” says Bean.
The Music Introduction & Exploration Program runs from January 8 to March 12. According to Bean, interest was high, and enrollment reached capacity quickly.
For more information about the Iowa Library for the Blind & Print Disabled’s programs and services, visit https://iowalibrary.blog/.