Music occupies a central, empowering and significant place in the world of the children with blindness or visual impairment. In general, music is very instrumental for personal strengthening and growth, development of creativity and individual capabilities, and music studies develop and enhance the sense of hearing. Furthermore, music is an artistic field that allows an unmediated creation process, unassisted by the surrounding society, and thus, it is tremendously important and valuable for people with blindness and visual impairment. The sense of hearing compensates and replaces the sense of
sight, musical ability contributes to daily spatial orientation and serves as a mean for social inclusion that enables equal participation with their sighted peer.

Music contributes considerably to the sensual, emotional and social development of children with visual impairment and blindness.

Musical Dreams is designed to enrich the children’s world, develop their musical ability and support their progress in the world of music. We conduct a program of musical education across the country and for all sectors of the Israeli society. Through the program we provide support and assistance for musical studies and for purchase of musical instruments, which otherwise would not be affordable for many of the families due to the high cost of musical studies.

The activity takes place on a weekly basis in music schools, conservatories or at the child’s home by professional music teachers. In addition, as part of the program we cooperate with the Academy for Music and Dance in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv University’s Students Union. Both institutions provide music students who teach several children. The program is very costly due to its national spread, the cost of musical instruments and the cost of first-class professional music teachers trained to work with children with visual impairment

Musical database:

Our team created a rich database (in Hebrew) on musical education for children which includes information: the importance of musical studies for children with visual impairment; unique teaching methods; music studies centers; music teachers with relevant experience; personal stories; tips for music learning; lists of accessible conservatories and choirs.
The database can be found here.

Steering team:

A team of volunteers, professional musicians with visual impairment guides and support the program, the teachers, the parents and the children.