Music & Physical Disability: From Instrument to Performance

The OHMI Trust is a UK-based charity pioneering the development and adaptation of musical instruments for those who are physically disabled. Musical instruments that can be played without two fully functioning hands are extremely rare and this, above all else, remains the principle obstacle that denies unlimited musical participation to the physically disabled.The OHMI Trust works across three areas; procuring instruments through the Annual OHMI Competition and partnerships with Queen Mary University of London and Birmingham City University; providing instrumental tuition through the OHMI teaching pilot; and raising awareness of the issues OHMI is addressing.

The OHMI Trust

<P CLASS="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">The 2018 OHMI Conference will bring together its annual OHMI awards with a major conference for academics and practitioners in which the barriers to music-making faced by those with physical disabilities will be explored. It will bring together current and planned research with the experiences of disabled musicians, teachers, and the work of charities and government agencies. The two-day conference will also feature concerts and demonstrations using recently developed technology and instrument designs. The challenge to enable full and undifferentiated participation in music for people with physical disabilities is a subject only recently receiving attention. It is hoped that sharing knowledge through this conference will stimulate further and more rapid developments in the coming years. For more information, contact admin@ohmi.org.uk.<BR></P>