Sounding the Right Note on Adapting Musical Instruments

Concert pianist Nicholas McCarthy has told a conference at Birmingham City University (BCU) that musicians and music engineers must continue to “think outside the box” to ensure instruments can be played by people with physical disabilities.

McCarthy, who was born without his right hand, praised the work of The OHMI (One Handed Musical Instrument) Trust and Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) to make music more accessible.

“It’s incredible how many lives are being changed by OHMI and the ABRSM,” said Nicholas (pictured above).

“There wasn’t a lot of adapted repertoires that I could direct disabled musicians to. Now there is a vast amount of learning material that has been created by the likes of OHMI and the ABRSM.”

Delegates from Australasia, North America, Asia and Europe attended the two-day conference at BCU’s City South Campus – along with music legend Toyah Willcox.

The Birmingham singer-songwriter, actress and presenter, who was born with a twisted spine and grew up with dyslexia, hosted OHMI’s Competition Awards, which are designed to stimulate further and more rapid developments in adapted musical instruments.

“Having gone on to build a successful recording career, I know disability can absolutely be a force for creativity,” said Toyah (pictured above).

“The OHMI Trust provides a truly valuable service in helping both disabled children and adults harness that creativity.”  

The conference was also an opportunity to highlight the research that BCU, The OHMI Trust and Imperial College London are conducting into underrepresentation and discrimination within music education and employment.

“We founded OHMI (One Handed Musical Instrument) in 2011 after a child went into school and was told she could not play a musical instrument because she had cerebral palsy,” said Rachel Wolffsohn, General Manager of the Birmingham-based charity. 

“It’s very excluding to not be able to take part in an activity you want to just because your hands or arms may be different.

“That’s the difference we want to make. We want to give everyone the opportunity to participate with their peers in music making.”

To find out more visit https://www.ohmi.org.uk/