​Musicians with an upper limb weakness, absence or impairment are being invited to join a new Music-Makers club. The club is being set up by The OHMI Trust and is designed to bring together adults who use adapted musical instruments or enabling equipment as well as parents of children who use such instruments and their teachers.
 
The aim of the OHMI Music-Makers club is to enable disabled musicians to share their successes and challenges and become part of a much bigger and growing community.
 
It is free to join and members will receive:

• A link to join the closed OHMI Music-Makers Facebook group for adult musicians and parents.
• An invite for the member musician’s music teacher to join the closed OHMI Teachers Forum Facebook.
• An opportunity to join a specific mailing list for music-making opportunities, including ensemble sessions.
• Some OHMI goodies to enjoy and to help spread the word.

 
Rachel Wolffsohn, General Manager at OHMI, explains,
 
“We know playing an adapted instrument can often be a lonely experience, particularly for children when they might be the only person in their school who plays an adapted instrument. We decided to launch the group for the benefit of children who are having OHMI music lessons and for our instrument hirers but anyone who plays an adapted instrument is invited to join.
 
“We have very many talented musicians who are part of the OHMI community. The new club presents the opportunity for them to celebrate achievements and share their experiences of instruments and equipment with others who are learning at the same time.”
 

• Any musician, parent or teacher associated with learning an adapted instrument is invited to register their interest to join OHMI’s club by completing the OHMI Music-Makers ​Club expression of interest form. ​https://forms.microsoft.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=MXCEOweGEUemH1GqLJf9u9W_o3IJYL5OiLJX_deLtGdUMDg1WDNBRlE5VVVOU0lCVVI0QjlHUldKMi4u

We’d like to offer our sincere thanks to our generous-hearted friends at Barton Music Makers for their continued support of OHMI. 

The charitable group, which was established in 2014, is based in Barton-under-Needwood in East Staffordshire. Alongside a community choir known as The Bar-Tones, the group holds musical events to raise funds for charity. OHMI has been chosen as a recipient of support on a number of occasions now and these sterling efforts have raised over £7,000. Most recently, £1,200 was raised which will allow us to purchase four tenor horn stands. 

Dr Stephen Taylor, Founder of Barton Music Makers and Choir Leader said "We are delighted to have supported OHMI for several years as our designated charity. From our perspective, it 'ticks all the boxes' in that it is based in The Midlands, helps the young and provides individuals with physical impairments an opportunity both to learn adapted instruments and to take an active role in and enjoy musical performance. 

“It has also been wonderful to welcome young musicians from OHMI to entertain our concert audiences. This is not only encouraging for the musicians but also helps to promote the charity to individuals who were, before then, unaware of its existence. We are very keen to help promote the brilliant work of OHMI whenever and however we can.”

The group offers its support in other ways too and we’re delighted to say that its performances have involved several of our OHMI Music-Makers.

Learn more about Barton Music Makers.