Even as a teenager, Norbert Britze, who had been blind since birth, knew that he wanted to make music his career. He did it. The church musician has been working as a cantor and organist in Bad Düben since 1997, directs several choirs, including the vocal ensemble Anima, and makes music in day-care centers and retirement homes. He also supports the library for the blind in Leipzig in translating pieces of music into Braille notes, i.e. notes in Braille.
Music has been a part of his life since childhood. At 13 he learned the piano, at 16 he took organ lessons. He later studied church music in Görlitz. The decision to study was made for various reasons, as Britze explains: “On the one hand, I was brought up as a Christian by birth, on the other hand, the music simply appealed to me, and it was also simply an alternative to what the state thought of as GDR – times so commanded”.
The reactions from those around him, wanting to make music a career, were mostly benevolent. “There was also skepticism that being blind would of course also be difficult. It was both,” says Britze. In terms of ear training, which made up a large part of his music studies, he often had an advantage over his fellow students.
The only thing he missed during his studies was reading from sight. “To learn a piece you have to read it, but you end up playing it by heart because you need both hands to play it,” explains Britze. In order to learn a new piece, visually impaired and blind people like Britze have to rely on braille notes or play by ear.
Reiner Delgado, social officer at the German Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, says: “There are difficulties” when it comes to learning an instrument with a visual impairment. For example, you can’t learn how others hold the instrument, he explains. Of course, that makes the learning process slower overall.
Although he makes music all day, Britze also enjoys listening to music in his private life. “Either for professional or private further education or simply what’s on the radio, but that’s usually not targeted,” he explains. The 52-year-old does not have a favorite musical style. “If you make music professionally, you will find something interesting in many pieces”.
