How the Brain Allows the Deaf to Experience Music
Glennie’s exquisite sensitivity to vibration and remarkable talent for composing music is emblematic of the powerful relationship that millions of deaf and hearing-disabled people have to music. Many go to concerts and enjoy music in their homes through touch, vision, and movement.1 A select few, like Glennie, play musical instruments or sing professionally. But as scientists learn more about how our bodies and brains process vibration, they are producing a wealth of new research that will help deaf people better appreciate the complexities and emotional range of music, both as listeners and performers. In the process, they are also discovering how music moves through us to create symphonies of feeling.