My love for music started when I was very young,and for years I was in our church choir. Then one day a Deaf family came to worship with us and I found myself totally fascinated with their language. I decided to become involved and started to attend the school for the Deaf in Rochester, N.Y. After two years there, I needed more training and education, so I attended first RIT and then later NTID. I was honored to take ASL 1,ASL 2 , ASL3  and ASL 4 with a wonderful Deaf Lady who I copy in her way of signing to this day.

Now after many years, I have found a love for sign and music together. You have a little freedom when you use sign in music, but always must keep the meaning clear! It does present a challenge to gloss the songs when they are written in "old English",( gloss means to take the written word in English, and change it to ASL language) sometimes you really have to search the meaning, before you can know the sign to use. Years ago I learned that you need to feel what the music is saying and convey it. Let it come from the heart God gave you, trust and rely on HIs direction.

 Picture the most beautiful music you have ever heard and watch it come to life. This is what happens when sign language is used to interpret a song. The meaning of the song itself, will be shown with feeling and expression, kind of the same way you feel when you are listening to the music.

There is no age limit for learning to sign. The Deaf are always helpful with the signs,knowing you are learning their language. I believe they are happy you took the time to learn their language and will have great patience with you.

ASL Classes are given at Hillsborough Community College and USF in Tampa, Florida. There you can learn to sign and prepare for the state license QA to become a ceritfied Interpreter. The rewards are many. 

If you have never seen music interpreted, there is nothing like "up close and personal"...and now with the holidays coming soon, there will be many Christmas Contatas at a number of different churches, and organizations.

If you are interested in becoming a signer,there are many good books with videos ( it is a visual Language) that you can learn the basics from,but if you plan on going professional, seek out places for training, such as schools. You will find a langauge that is beautiful and fun to learn, and people that are some of the best in the world.