Music and Dyslexia

Book excerpt: It is now recognised that dyslexia affects people’s lives in all sorts of different ways. This book shows how some dyslexics can be highly gifted musicians. It is important, however, that they should not be put off from studying music just because - at least in the early stages - many of them find it difficult to read and remember the symbols of musical notation. The foreword is by Baroness Mary Warnock. 10 of the 21 contributors to the book are themselves dyslexic. Each relates their personal experiences (whether as amateurs or professionals) and in most cases their eventual success. The other contributors are teachers or researchers who have wide experiences of dyslexic musicians of all ages. The book’s message is one of optimism. Dyslexic musicians can succeed provided only that they are given sufficient encouragement and understanding.