Launched in Autumn 2023, Modulate is Paraorchestra’s multifaceted artistic development programme created to offer skills development courses, talks, small grant funding and other opportunities to disabled members of our ensemble.

Building on the success of our Musicians in Residence scheme, Modulate is just as ambitious in its scope and aspirations as our live work, seeking to provide the time, space and resources that disabled musicians require for them to thrive and fully realise their artistic ambitions.

Opportunities available to Paraorchestra musicians through Modulate include:

• The Modulate Ideas Fund, five commissions of between £1000 – £2000 for artists to get new creative ideas off the ground

• Tech+Play, a multi-week course in composing for and playing assistive instruments

• The Go & See Fund, providing subsidised tickets and travel for musicians to go and experience new work in a live context

• Our Musicians in Residence programme. Now entering its third year, the programme will expand in scope as part of Modulate, providing each musician with resource for two R&D sessions throughout their residency

• A series of talks on professional development, wellbeing, and what it means to be an artist, beginning with a Q&A with Evelyn Glennie

• Bookable one-to-ones with members of the Paraorchestra team to seek advice, feedback, or address specific creative challenges

We know that a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all approach to creative and professional development isn’t the answer, and so the content of Modulate has been created in response to thorough research and consultancy with disabled ensemble members.

Musicians can decide on their own level of involvement and are able to participate flexibly in accordance with other professional obligations. In instances where there is a significant time commitment they are reimbursed for their time.

Though currently only open to our existing ensemble of musicians who identify as disabled, our hope for the future of Modulate is that some of the activity will be open to non-disabled musicians within the ensemble as well as disabled musicians in the sector who aren’t part of the Paraorchestra ensemble. 

Modulate is made possible through the support of our core funders: Arts Council England, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Linbury Trust, The Mark Leonard Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation, and the John Ellerman Foundation