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.

Over the course of a two day workshop in January 2025 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 considering music as a future career.

Plans for the next iteration of Play with Paraorchestra are already underway – watch this space for more.