The music-making of visually impaired adults： A case study of the Taiwan RP chorus

• Main Author: 張美華
• Other Authors: 朱夢慈
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/6k2e6j

碩士 === 國立臺南藝術大學 === 民族音樂學研究所 === 105 === Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited, degenerative eye disease that causes severe vision impairment. In 2010, RP Taipei, Taiwan established a Taiwan RP chorus, trying to help RP members develop positive values through music activities. The studies of music and blindness/low vision in Taiwan usually focus on professional musicians. However, this thesis turns to amateur visually impaired music lovers with applied ethnomusicology’s approach, advocating the importance of minority studies. As a singing teacher of the Taiwan RP chorus, I could deeply interact with these RP members. This long-term participant observation discovers how singing in a chorus makes them redefine their lives: reconstruct friendship, family relationship, and social engagement. And especially, these music lovers learn to sing in some particular ways, which are different from ordinary people. I represent this music-making experience of the Taiwan RP chorus in experimental ethnography style. Alongside comprehending how chorus makes these people assembled together, and can be a tool to develop self-confidence and position them in the music world, I depict, most important of all, the emotional aspects of the people, which are easily ignored by academic literatures.