Jakarta, Kartunet.com - Playing music is a truly enjoyable activity to fill leisure time, especially during quiet moments. Music's influence is vast, impacting everything from fashion and musical styles to solo artists, duets, and the rise of bands. Indeed, bands have become a distinct trend among young people today.
Did you know that visually impaired individuals can also play music? Have you ever witnessed a blind person performing music? How do they manage to play music despite their lack of sight?
Santos Paulus Daluh is a visually impaired individual enrolled as an active student at Universitas Islam Nusantara Bandung (UNINUS). He discovered music and developed a strong interest in it from the age of 4-5. By the time he was 8, he was already playing music self-taught, simply by listening. His first instrument was the keyboard. Today, he can play the guitar, bass, and keyboard, with the latter being his specialty. He began his musical journey by learning the basic notes of do-re-mi-fa-so-la-si-do. He then progressed to playing songs he found easy. He states that he doesn't encounter much difficulty in playing music. Currently, Santos is a member of Elfa’s Music Bandung and frequently performs at various invitations.
When playing music, a visually impaired individual typically goes through the following stages:
- Familiarizing oneself with notes
- Listening to notes
- Attempting to play simple songs
- Recognizing notes from low to high pitch
Many visually impaired individuals attend music lessons to further refine their talents. Based on the experiences of several visually impaired people, a significant portion of the general public remains skeptical about their musical abilities. However, many visually impaired individuals have proven that they can create and excel despite their limitations.
Who would have thought that Stevie Wonder, a phenomenal songwriter, singer, and record producer, has been visually impaired since birth? Or Andrea Bocelli, an opera singer from the 60s who lost his sight at the age of 12? This demonstrates that creativity is accessible to anyone, even those with physical limitations. Because, in truth, creativity knows no bounds.(Danu)