My 17yo son wants to major in music when he starts college in a year. I would like to prepare him for this but I am running out of ideas on how to help him.
It appears that he can’t transfer the information from his brain (while reading music) down to his fingers fast enough. He spent 4 semesters at the community college taking piano and music theory. (starting at age 12) Now, after 5 years of piano he still cannot sight read even the simplest music. It is just as difficult for him to learn a simple song as it is a difficult one. Although, once he learns complex difficult music, (memorizes), he plays beautifully. He understands music theory(in detail) and composes on a program called ‘Finale’.
I need help figuring out stradegies for him to process music (notes), from reading them to his fingers (playing them) quickly and efficently. His piano teacher of 3yrs. has tried all different kinds of methods to see if he can help him process quicker - but none have worked.
He has dysgraphia, LD in reading comp., and auditory memory difficulties. He also carries a dx of Asperger Syndrome and psychotic disorder.
I was thinking the dysgraphia processing difficulty might be playing a role in this difficulty.
I appreciate any input,
Jennifer
Re: Dysgraphia - music
Several different scenarios, several different answers.
— Does he really want a formal academic music education? If yes, he will definitely have to work on that sight reading.
Many people who have an ear and talent for music play by ear and play far in advance of the level they can read music.
Sight reading is a practiced skill, and as such, takes many hours of dedicated practice. In general the best learning method for a skill like this is to go right back to Book 1 Page 1 and work up through. Starting at too high a level is usually counter-productive, and it sounds like this is where you are. Go back and re-start and work on it steadily if this is your goal.
— You can often get into college and university, especially artistic and creative programs, through the back door. If he registers as a special student or an independent student, not in a degree program, he can take classes in playing and theory and composition and show the professors where he shines. After a year or so when they know him and see his skills, then he can talk about waivers of the admission requirements to a degree program.
— Many popular musicians don’t read music at all. When their work is published, they play it for somebody who knows the written form, who transcribes it for them. Being a popular musician is not an easy career path, but if he is truly able and willing to work, he can work on joining a group and breaking into the business directly.
Re: Dysgraphia - music
Thank you both for your input. He has his IEP in a couple of weeks and I will bring up these points.
Jennifer
Re: Dysgraphia - music
Our choral instructor here at the Community College definitely wouldn’t be confused for a brilliant musician and there are definitely “learning issues” happening. (She has a Master’s degree in sacred music, B.S. in Music Ed.) She said it was very late in the game when she realized that sight reading *wasn’t* about figuring ouit each note separately— that if you got one note, you went up or down according to the relative position on the scale. There may be tidbits like this that he should be on the lookout for. She also had advisors in her graduate program who informed her that she did not havea musical bone in her body, and put obstacles in her way — but she didn’t want to be a University music professor; she wanted to bring music to people, so she found some creative ways around it. She also learned to learn from teachers who were not kind; eventually they grew to respect her obstinance if nothing else :-)
There isn’t a whole lot of information out there about music and dyslexia, but I’ve got an article at my site (http://www.resourceroom.net/gtld/ida_music.asp ) . You might see if Whurr PUblishers have com eup with anything in the past couple of years (do a Yahoo or Google on Whurr and dyslexia)
Re: Dysgraphia - music
Thank you Sue - I printed out the material for his piano teacher. My son has an incredible decoding ability - but much lower reading comp.
Some of the suggestions in the article we have done - without realizing it. He started participating in children’s theatre at age 5yo until 10yo. Then he joined the local Children’s Chorus where he performed for 3yrs. He also attended a couple of the camps. He was a Soprano 1 and now as a young man he has a huge range. He voice instructor worked with him until he could develop the ‘low’ voice. Unfortunately the psychosis made him very isolated for 3yrs, but I kept him in private lessons. Just recently we convinced him to sing at church again, and he can sing Josh Grobin songs very well. He also likes to sing in Italian (doesn’t understand it - but likes it). Most recently Phantom of the Opera is his favorite music to sing. Although, he will tell everyone that composing is his ‘passion’ :)
I also contacted the Charter School where he receives resource, ILS skills, and speech, to see if they had any suggestions. The speech teacher wrote some suggestions and is mailing it to me. The Charter School is home-based, (I do most of the teaching under supervision). It has worked well for my son, (6th grade on).
Are you in N. CA - and if so what community college?
Again thank you,
Jennifer
Re: Dysgraphia - music
A thought that comes out of your post — if he likes to sing in Italian, that is a very good route to learning the language. You memorize songs so you develop a wide range of known phrases as well as good pronunciation. Besides just being his interest, a language skill looks good on the college application and the resume.
Re: Dysgraphia - music
I’m in Illinois — Champaign-Urbana (on the prairie, where a person can ride a bike for a long timke….) It’s a community college with an administration that wants to get more people achieving more. (I could be cynical and say they recognize a market not reached by the U of Illinois… except I’ve seen enough of the prez to know that no, she really does want to reach the unreached…)
Jennifer,
I don’t want to seem negative at all, but generally, students must audition to be accepted into a music major program. I have no idea what all is involved in the audition, but I suspect not being able to sight read music might prohibit a student from being selected in many places. And finding an expert who understands his LD’s and how to remediate the sight reading problem in music is going to be one tough assignment, especially since he is 17. I think you may have to call some college music departments to ask this question so you can redirect him if it is an unrealistic goal. Music is a wonderful hobby even if one does not major in it.
Janis