As a graphic designer, photographer, musician, author, and professor of humanities, Dr. Nina Tedeschi is fascinated by the patterns in nature and in life. Her recent research focuses on the patterns in visual design and music, and the impact of patterns and repetitions of patterns in teaching music to the hearing impaired and auditorily challenged.
Are adequate teaching materials available and used in the instruction of music students of all levels of abilities, particularly those with hearing impairments and auditory challenges?
Auditorily impaired music students struggle to understand musical rhythms and patterns which can lead to frustration, low self-esteem, lack of developing musical skills, and reduced music appreciation. This research aims at arriving at a solution to the problem of providing supplemental learning materials for learners of all levels of abilities, particularly those with hearing challenges.
Research Reveals:
“What is needed is a method that can be implemented in schools as part of the curriculum.”
— Rabih Nabhan
“Visual art can enlighten deaf and hearing observers by presenting experiences reflective of a deaf person’s world.”
— Patricia Durr
“The music and art connection can best be described in the late 19th-century concept of synesthesia or the blending of senses. The idea means that sensory perception of one kind can manifest itself as a sensory experience of another.”
— Sharon Kennedy
As in art, music utilizes the visualization process involving “knowledge, technical skill, aesthetics, and meaning making.”
— Pamela Taylor
An integral part of this research project and visual solution is the concept of influences of patterns within nature. A major portion of the visual solution is the capturing of patterns in nature which are readily associated with musical elements, via original photographs. By first seeing the content of the photograph, the visual stimulation and consequential visual processing of that information present a reaction to the visual content of the photograph.
Via this process, one might ask, “What do you see? How can you interpret the content of the photo? What is pattern and musical association? What does the picture sound like? How does the picture make you feel?”
AUDITORY
VISUAL
TACTILE
“A direct relationship occurs within visual observation and interpretation of repetitions of patterns and the resulting rhythms.”
—- Ravignani
Research reveals that learning and retaining information is based upon repetition. Furthermore, learning occurs via the senses; auditory, visual, and tactile. There is a connection between the senses which further impacts the way learning takes place; one sense relies on the other. Visual learning impacts auditory learning, hence, the connection between visual stimuli and learning musical elements is therefore connected.
"EYE HAS SEEN, EAR HAS HEARD"
"EYE HAS SEEN, EAR HAS HEARD"
Patterns and repetition of patterns are everywhere. Patterns and repetition of patterns impact perception and the senses.
“EYE HAS SEEN, EAR HAS HEARD” is the visual solution created in support of this research project. As seen and heard in the video, each learning chart provides visual stimuli with which to associate, practice, and learn a musical element. Experience virtual learning by viewing each flashcard and the associated musical element. “Can you see it? Can you hear it too?”
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Exploring the Pulse of Design and Music has afforded me a path to creating a visual solution in the form of a supplemental teaching tool that is useful in reaching those music students who have hearing or other learning difficulties but have the desire to learn and experience music. I hope this research has shed light on a need in music education and provided a visual solution to that problem.
Dr. Nina Tedeschi
Dr. Tedeschi is an author, musician, artist, graphic designer, and professor of humanities teaching music, philosophy, ethics, religion, art history, and graphic design.
Patterns and repetitions of patterns are fascinating! Explore the pulse of design and music with Dr. Nina Tedeschi as she presents “Eye Has Seen, Ear Has Heard” a visual solution to the problem of adequately providing appropriate lesson materials for students of all levels of abilities, particularly the hearing impaired and auditorily challenged.
““I painted the picture, and in the colors the rhythm of the music quivers. I painted the colors I saw.””