The Symphony of Senses: Mahgol Moghtader’s Creative Journey Beyond Sight
In the vibrant world of music and art, creativity is often seen as a visual journey—a canvas of colors, shapes, and forms that inspire the artist to create. However, for Mahgol Moghtader, a blind musician, composer, and children’s music teacher, creativity transcends the visual. Her story, shared in an illuminating conversation on the “Cozy Corner with Hossein Nasiri” podcast, challenges our conventional understanding of creativity and highlights how sensory experiences beyond sight can profoundly shape artistic expression.
Mahgol Moghtader’s journey as a musician is not just about mastering an instrument; it is about navigating life with resilience, turning perceived limitations into sources of strength, and reimagining creativity in ways that few can. Born with a congenital eye condition, Mahgol gradually lost her vision, but this did not deter her from pursuing her passion for music. Instead, it led her to develop a unique approach to creativity, one that relies heavily on her other senses—particularly sound, touch, and the subtle nuances of her environment.
Creativity as a Mental and Sensory Process
Creativity, for Mahgol, is a deeply mental process that transcends physical sight. “When I say ‘tree,’ I have the image of a real, visible tree in my mind, even though I have only touched a tree trunk for years,” she explains. This ability to conjure images in her mind, despite her blindness, underscores the complexity and depth of her creative process. Her creativity is not bound by what she can physically see but is instead a fusion of memories, sensory experiences, and mental imagery.
For Mahgol, creativity is akin to painting with a palette of sounds and textures. The feel of her oud’s strings, the vibrations of sound, and even the distinct smells in her environment all contribute to her creative output. This multisensory approach allows her to experience and create music in a way that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Her story challenges the notion that creativity is primarily a visual process, offering a broader, more inclusive understanding of what it means to be creative.
One of the most compelling aspects of Mahgol’s creative process is her use of touch. In her interview, she discusses how the texture and feel of the strings on her oud play a crucial role in her music-making. “When I want to create, the sound comes to my mind. But if I want to design something on the oud and my instrument isn’t with me, the touch of the strings is very important to me. It’s as if I’m touching the strings,” she says. This tactile relationship with her instrument allows her to create music that is not just heard but felt, adding a layer of depth and emotion to her compositions.
Resilience in the Face of Challenges
Mahgol’s story is also one of resilience. Growing up with a visual impairment was not easy, and she faced numerous challenges, from dealing with the anxiety of eye exams as a child to coping with the social pressures of adolescence. She recalls the difficulties of attending a regular school where she often felt different from her peers, not just because of her visual impairment but also due to the competitive environment.
Despite these challenges, Mahgol found solace and strength in music. She began learning the oud at the age of 12, studying under renowned instructors, and later expanded her repertoire to include the kamancheh. Her decision to attend a music conservatory, influenced by her father, was a turning point in her life. “Music became my first companion throughout all these years as I gradually lost my vision,” she reflects.
This resilience has carried Mahgol through various phases of her life, from her early days as a student to her current role as a music teacher and podcast host. She is not one to back down from a challenge; instead, she embraces it, often creating new challenges for herself to overcome. This drive to continually push herself is evident in her transition from a musician to a composer, teacher, and podcast host. Each role has demanded different skills and perspectives, yet she has approached them all with the same unwavering determination.
The Role of Family and Community Support
Mahgol attributes much of her success to the support she received from her family. She explains that their acceptance of her condition was crucial in helping her accept herself. “They accepted me as I am,” she says, emphasizing how this unconditional support gave her the confidence to pursue her passions despite her blindness.
However, acceptance did not come easily. Mahgol had to grapple with her own insecurities, particularly during adolescence, a time when many young people struggle with self-acceptance. The pressures of fitting in, combined with the challenges of losing her vision, made this period of her life particularly difficult. Yet, with her family’s support, she was able to navigate these challenges and emerge stronger.
This theme of support extends to her work as a teacher. Mahgol is passionate about integrating blind and sighted children in her music classes, believing that early acceptance of differences can lead to greater inclusivity and understanding. She is driven by the goal of creating an educational environment where all children, regardless of their abilities, can experience the joy of music. In her classroom, she emphasizes that music is not just about sound; it’s about feeling, touching, and even smelling—an approach that resonates deeply with her students.
A Unique Perspective on Teaching and Creativity
As a teacher, Mahgol brings a unique perspective to the classroom, one that is informed by her own experiences and her sensory approach to creativity. She encourages her students to explore music not just through sound but through touch, movement, and even smell. This holistic approach to teaching allows her students to engage with music in ways that go beyond traditional methods.
One of the most impactful experiences she shares is a game she designed for her students, inspired by the story of Haft Khan-e Rostam from the Shahnameh. In this game, she blindfolded her students to give them a glimpse into her world. The students, who had never considered what it might be like to navigate life without sight, were challenged to use their other senses to experience the world around them. This exercise not only heightened their sensory awareness but also deepened their empathy and understanding of what it means to live with a visual impairment.
Mahgol’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that creativity is not something that just falls from the sky; it is something that is cultivated through experience. She explains that creativity is about taking all the experiences and knowledge one has gathered and presenting them in a new narrative. For her, this means drawing on her rich sensory experiences to create music that is both deeply personal and resonant with others.
Her approach to teaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about inspiring her students to see the world differently, to embrace their own unique perspectives, and to understand that creativity is not confined to what one can see. She believes that every child has the potential to be creative, and it’s her job to help them unlock that potential, regardless of their abilities or limitations.
The Intersection of Personal and Collective Experiences
Throughout her conversation with Hossein Nasiri, Mahgol emphasizes the importance of both personal and collective experiences in shaping creativity. She believes that true creativity involves reassembling familiar elements—whether they be memories, experiences, or sensory inputs—in new and innovative ways. This approach is reflected in her music, where she draws on her personal history, cultural heritage, and the experiences of those around her to create compositions that are both unique and universally relatable.
One particularly powerful example of this is her work with the names of heroes from the Shahnameh. She describes how she took the rhythmic patterns of these names and used them as the foundation for a musical game she created for her students. This game not only introduced the children to the rich cultural heritage of Iranian music but also allowed them to explore rhythm and music in a playful and engaging way.
For Mahgol, creativity is about more than just producing art or music; it is about connecting with others and sharing experiences in a way that is meaningful and transformative. Her work as a musician, teacher, and podcast host is a testament to her belief in the power of creativity to transcend limitations and bring people together.
This philosophy of creativity as a collective experience is evident in her podcast, “Zarbahang,” where she engages with other musicians and artists to discuss the intricacies of music and its impact on society. Through these conversations, Mahgol not only shares her own experiences but also learns from others, constantly expanding her understanding of what creativity can be. Her podcast serves as a platform for exploring how music and art can bridge gaps, foster understanding, and create a sense of community.
Navigating the Challenges of Blindness in a Visual World
Living in a world that often prioritizes the visual, Mahgol has had to navigate many challenges that go beyond the physical limitations of blindness. She talks about the social pressures and the subtle forms of discrimination she faced, particularly in environments where people did not fully understand her condition. For instance, she recalls how some teachers and peers in school would question her ability to participate fully in activities, sometimes treating her as though her blindness made her less capable.
One striking example she shares is the experience of being asked, “When will you get better?” by a teacher who seemed to misunderstand the nature of her condition. Such moments were painful, not just because of the ignorance they revealed but because they reflected a broader societal tendency to view disability through a lens of deficiency rather than potential. Despite these challenges, Mahgol has refused to let such attitudes define her. Instead, she has used them as motivation to prove that her blindness does not diminish her creativity or her contributions to the world of music.
Mahgol’s resilience in the face of these challenges is deeply
inspiring. She speaks candidly about the emotional toll of living with blindness, particularly during her adolescent years when self-acceptance was a constant struggle. Yet, through it all, she has maintained a steadfast belief in her abilities and a determination to pursue her dreams. This resilience is not just about enduring hardship; it’s about transforming it into something beautiful, using her experiences as fuel for her creative fire.
The Power of Sensory Memory in Creativity
One of the most fascinating aspects of Mahgol’s creative process is her use of sensory memory. Even though she can no longer see, she relies on her memories of sight, as well as her heightened senses of hearing, touch, and smell, to inform her creative work. This sensory memory allows her to recreate textures, sounds, and even visual images in her mind, enabling her to continue creating music and art that is rich in detail and emotion.
Mahgol explains that sensory memory is not just about recalling what something looked like; it’s about remembering how it felt, how it sounded, and how it smelled. For example, when she touches a piece of clothing, she can instantly recall its texture and even compare it to other fabrics she has encountered in the past. This ability to connect sensory experiences across time and space adds a unique depth to her creative work, allowing her to draw on a vast reservoir of sensory knowledge.
This heightened sensory awareness extends to her interactions with others as well. Mahgol can often sense the emotions and intentions of those around her through subtle cues that might go unnoticed by others. Whether it’s the tone of someone’s voice, the way they move, or even the way they smell, these sensory inputs provide her with a rich tapestry of information that informs her creative process. In a sense, her blindness has heightened her ability to perceive and interpret the world in ways that are deeply intuitive and emotionally resonant.
A Life Guided by Creativity and Perseverance
Mahgol Moghtader’s story is a powerful reminder that creativity is not confined to the realms of sight or physical ability. It is a mental process, a sensory experience, and a way of interpreting and interacting with the world. Her journey as a blind musician, composer, and teacher demonstrates that creativity is not just about overcoming challenges but about embracing them, and using them as a source of strength and inspiration.
In her interview on “Cozy Corner with Hossein Nasiri,” Mahgol shares not only her experiences but also her philosophy on creativity—one that is rooted in personal and collective experiences, informed by sensory perception, and driven by a deep sense of purpose and resilience. Her story is a testament to the idea that creativity is a universal force, one that can be nurtured and cultivated in anyone, regardless of their circumstances.
As we reflect on Mahgol’s journey, we are reminded that creativity is not just an act of creation but a way of life. It is about finding new ways to interpret the world, about reassembling familiar elements into something new, and about using our experiences—both good and bad—to create something meaningful. In this way, Mahgol’s story is not just about music or art, but about the power of the human spirit to create, to adapt, and to thrive, no matter the obstacles we face.
In a world that often emphasizes visual stimuli, Mahgol’s story challenges us to consider the richness that comes from engaging all of our senses in the creative process. Her life and work remind us that creativity is not limited by physical abilities; it is expanded by the diversity of our experiences and the depth of our perceptions. For Mahgol Moghtader, creativity is a symphony of the senses, a testament to the power of the human spirit to transcend limitations and create beauty in the world.
