Play with Paraorchestra

Three musicians are sitting in a rehearsal room. They are laughing and smiling.

Disabled musicians face barriers from the very beginning of their careers

That’s why Play with Paraorchestra exists – to instil confidence and forge links with the next generation of talented young music creators.

In this two-day workshop, which has run for two editions to date, a small group of young D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent musicians recruited via schools and young peoples' music groups explored a range of musical styles, with a blend of acoustic and electronic sound worlds, and worked alongside professional musicians and composers from our ensemble.

This creatively-ambitious project offered insight into our professional working practices in the same collaborative, person-centred environment as all of our live work with an eye to demonstrating the possibilities for young disabled musicians beginning thheir careers in music.