Students with disabilities use digital instruments to perform at Royal Albert Hall

Pupils from Chadsgrove School in Bromsgrove, England, are preparing to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the Music for Youth event.

The school specializes in educating children with physical disabilities and complex medical needs. The students use Clarion, an electronic instrument that works on tablets and laptops. This software allows children to create music using any part of their body, including their eyes.

Music teacher Steph Wellings said the tool allows the school to adapt music to the specific strengths of each child. The school collaborated with Open Orchestras, a music education programme in the UK that helps disabled students access instrumental music. The Music for Youth event gathers 3,000 young people from across the UK to perform gospel choirs, jazz orchestras, and steel pan bands.

Students like Oscar, a 17-year-old with cerebral palsy, and Arjen, a 15-year-old with cerebral palsy, are preparing for the stage. Arjen plans to play the djembe and wah-wah tubes while Oscar will play the keyboard. Wellings noted that music helps the pupils overcome barriers to communication and expression. While some progress for these students can be slow, the teacher said the pupils work hard to reach their goals.

Arjen shared that he hopes to become a music producer in the future.