TAMPA, Fla. — For Matt Weihmuller, being blind has by no means stopped him from pursuing his love of music.
“I was born this way with an eye disease, but I think it gives me a unique perspective, like, one of the things that I do that a lot of teachers will do is they’ll turn the lights off on students so they can practice in the dark,” stated Matt Weihmuller, a Jazz musician and instructor.
Weihmuller is from Tampa. He’s knowledgeable saxophonist with a Bachelor’s and Master’s diploma in music and has been educating Jazz music for 10 years to folks of various talents.
“I’ve taught some students who are visually impaired and it kind of gives me a very unique perspective,” stated Weihmuller.
He even interprets music into Braille.
“It’s very interesting when I show the Braille to the students. You know, they’re very fascinated by it,” stated Weihmuller.
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For Weihmuller, he simply needs to unfold his love for music to as many individuals as attainable, whereas additionally altering the narrative round what folks with visible impairments can do.
“To just try to, you know, show people that people with visual impairments are like anyone else,” Weihmuller.
“I decided on my own, well, I’m around it all the time. I like Classical music and stuff. So, I’ll just learn it,” stated Zion Phoenix, a pupil of Matt Weihmuller.
Phoenix has been round music most of his life. In reality, he began enjoying the piano when was simply 10 years previous however he stated, “Jazz is sort of a current endeavor for me.”
He said he plays the piano alone most of the time, but it’s different to play in a group setting with his peers.
“It’s like everyone’s feeding off of each other. Yeah, it’s just really great,” said Phoenix.
Phoenix and about nine other students are learning how to play Jazz this week in an intensive music camp at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center.
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“Being able to play with a full group for this amount of time is really great,” stated Cole Wheeler.
Wheeler is a drummer. He stated Weihmuller inspires him to be a greater participant.
“A lot of what he has to do has to be more intuitive. So, him giving that to us helps us communicate both non-verbally and without visual cues,” stated Wheeler.
The college students in this intensive music camp will present what they’ve discovered this week in a live performance at 7 p.m. on Friday on the Straz Center.
If you’re in attending the live performance, click here.