In 1994, just before Cydnie Breazeale '18 began studying at Berklee, she could, with the help of powerful hearing aids, make out the notes she was playing on her piano. But two months before her first day of classes, her hearing suddenly and completely disappeared.
It was the second sense to leave her. When she was a small child, what little vision she was born with went dark. She remembers that her favorite color was pink.
Breazeale used steroids to regain some of her hearing, but much of it was gone for good. Still, she was determined to keep music in her life, and, at 19, went ahead and started Berklee. She took up to three classes a semester with the help of an assistant, spending hours preparing for each lesson by memorizing Braille lead sheets and practicing playing.
She kept at it for three years, then another blow came: the remnants of her hearing vanished, this time permanently. She had no choice but to withdraw from Berklee.
As Breazeale and her mother, T.C. Breazeale, recounted this history earlier this month, they were seated next to an upright piano, the one Cydnie would play at her holiday concert on December 15 for her friends and colleagues at MAB Community Services (formerly Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired). In attendance, over Zoom, for the show was a Berklee professor and a Berklee alumnus who have worked with Cydnie over the years to make sure that music doesn't recede from her life.
It's just so important for her to play, because its who she is. And without music, life would be very, very empty for her, said Suzanna Sifter, the piano professor (and Berklee alumna) who has worked with Breazeale on a weekly basis for 20 years, beginning just before Breazeale returned to Berklee.
People see somebody who has disabilities, and they discount them.... Theres a living, breathing, loving, caring, musical human being inside that woman.
-Professor Suzanna Sifter
At 23, Breazeale had received a cochlear implant and started the process of learning to hear with it. The devices do not render sound the way the ear does. They are made to decipher speech, not to listen to music. It was a long time before a piano sounded like a piano, T.C. Breazeale said. A while after she received the implant, Cydnie returned to Berklee and, over the course of 17 years, earned a two-year certificate. The work over those years was so demanding that the Breazeales moved from Watertown to Boston to be closer to Berklee.
Throughout that time she was studying with Sifter privately, and for many years with Mark McNeill B.M. '08. These weekly sessions with Sifter and McNeill make life for Breazeale not just bearable...but rich. A life worth living, her mother said. While many Berklee graduates aim for big success, she said, there are other reasons to study music, including the endeavor to add meaning to one's life, and the experience of working toward a goal that at first might seem unattainable: One of the things that she definitely learned is that she can do difficult things and master them. Another reason is, simply, to stir joy. I feel happy when I play the piano, Cydnie Breazeale said.
Watch a clip from Cydnie Breazeales dress rehearsal for the MAB Community Services concert:
Its how she connects to the world, Sifter said, adding that her own life has been enhanced by her connection to Cydnie Breazeale. Not only has she found a good friend, but she's learned from her student.
People see somebody who has multiple disabilities, and they discount them-they are discounted in society, and its BS. Theres a living, breathing, loving, caring, musical human being inside that woman. And if I see somebody else that has a disability, Im aware of that now, Sifter said.
Her work with Breazeale has also changed her as an educator. She's learned to always leave room for her students to surprise her with their abilities. You really dont want to shut the door on somebody...you never want to give somebody the vibe that they cant do something, she said.
Even after 20 years, Breazeale continues to amaze her. Up until the pandemic started, Sifter had been teaching Breazeale using the hand over hand method; Breazeale would place her hands over Sifters while Sifter played. But when coronavirus forced the lessons to end, Sifter wasn't sure that they could switch to remote learning and follow instruction without the tactile help. But apparently, if I say [D] flat, shes just as good, Sifter said, adding that Breazeale has a strong sense of rhythm and a well-developed knowledge of musical concepts such as chord scales and upper-structure triads. There are many ways I can describe that I want her to do something, she said.
It's this reservoir of skills that Breazeale calls upon to play music, especially since she can't match pitch. If I play a note on the instrument she can't find it; if I sing a note she cant sing it. So its remarkable that she can remember these things. And she doesn't forget them, Sifter said. T.C. Breazeale estimates that her daughter has about 200 songs in her repertoire.
She reads Braille music primarily with her left hand but can read with both. She switches from one to the other when learning a piece so that one hand is going over the Braille while the other plays the notes.
Reconnecting with a Mentor The success of Breazeale's Zoom lessons with Sifter encouraged her to ask McNeill, the alumnus, to start tutoring her remotely. He had helped her with piano beginning in 2007, but their work together had to come to an end when he moved in 2014 to Berlin, Germany, where he's a pianist for Komische Oper Berlin.
McNeill's initial role involved accompanying Breazeale to class, guiding her through buildings, and aiding her during lessons. I would sit on her right side and
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
In 1994, just before Cydnie Breazeale '18 began studying at Berklee, she could, with the help of powerful hearing aids, make out the notes she was playing on her piano. But two months before her first day of classes, her hearing suddenly and completely disappeared. 
