ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the visually impaired musicians' beginnings, and the reasons for their initial as well as continued involvement in music-making. It also concerns the significance of music in their lives. The chapter considers the extent to which, and the ways in which the participants themselves believed their visual impairment had shaped their early beginnings in music, and to what extent they felt musical participation is uniquely important for visually impaired people. It then describes about what our participants believe music can do, and does do, to enhance their lives. A number of studies explore student, teacher, and parent interactions in generating fruitful musical outcomes. Beliefs regarding the origins of musical excellence, whether among visually impaired or sighted youngsters, are firmly embedded in our cultural consciousness. DeNora has described music as a dynamic, emotional medium for the creation, change and sustenance of our health/illness ecologies by means of providing social roles, pleasure-giving, and communication with others.
