John Eulenberg, professor of audiology and speech sciences and chair of MSU's Accommodating Technology Committee, which studies ways to make MSU's programs more accessible to those with disabilities, has worked with many individuals with disabilities to speak, write, sing, compose and perform music. Eulenberg, together with Deborah Moriarty , professor of piano and chair of the keyboard area, will received the award on behalf of the School of Music.
Music plays an important role in human life.
The work of our project has been to find pathways to song for persons who cannot speak and also to find pathways to instrumental music for persons whose physical characteristics prevent them from using the standard tools of musical composition and performance. The project was nominated by Merritt Lutz, managing director of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, in the Education and Academia category. It is part of a collection that includes over 440 of the year's most innovative applications of technology form 38 states and 21 countries. Using the MIDI technology and computer software designed to allow composers to 'notate' and play back music, Carlson was able to painstakingly input into his computer Beethoven piano sonatas, the keyboard works of Bach, and other music. Finally, Carlson performed this programmed music on a Yamaha Disklavier.