Instrument makers across the globe are being invited to enter OHMI’s latest competition for one-handed instruments and enabling apparatus for people with physical disabilities.
 
The OHMI Competition challenges instrument makers, designers and technicians to create and develop musical instruments that can be played without the use of one hand and arm. An adaptation of an existing instrument or a new design that emulates a traditional instrument are both acceptable and there are three categories:

• Playable instruments - A solution for an instrument commonly found in a musical ensemble (examples are orchestras, jazz bands, folk groups, or rock groups).
• Enabling apparatus - For apparatus (straps, stands, harnesses etc.) that make a traditional instrument playable for a specified disability.
• Concepts - For the most technically promising solution(s) to the challenges. 

 
Rachel Wolffsohn, General Manager of The OHMI Trust, said:
 
“Virtually no musical instrument can be played without ten highly dextrous fingers. It means that millions of people are denied participation in musical life, including people with congenital disabilities, amputees and those who may have been injured, suffered a stroke, developed arthritis or for whatever reason lack the full strength and control of their upper limbs.”
 
“The inventions of competition winners in the past have been truly transformative and we’re inviting designers and instrument makers – whether seasoned professionals, talented hobbyists or innovative students – to enter and help drive forward progress in accessible music-making.” 
 
More information about the application process, competition rules and previous winners can be accessed at OHMI Competition.
 
The deadline for entries is Tuesday 31st December at 5pm GMT.
 
Winners will be announced at OHMI’s Conference & Awards 2025. Taking place in Birmingham on the 15th and 16th March, in collaboration with Birmingham City University and Imperial College London, the event will explore the barriers faced by people with physical disabilities to music-making, from the design and ongoing production of instruments to wide-ranging issues around performing.

We are delighted to announce that Dr Mat Dalgleish is one of four new trustees to join the OHMI Board.
Born near Birmingham, Mat grew up playing the trumpet and, later, the guitar as a one-handed musician. Since January 2023, Mat has been a Senior Lecturer in Game Audio and Technical Design at Staffordshire University, where he leads the audio provision in the UK’s largest game development department. 
One of the key ways in which Mat expects to make a contribution in his role as OHMI trustee is helping to make the charity’s upcoming competition and 2025 conference the most successful to date. The competition is an important challenge for instrument makers, designers and technicians across the world to create and develop musical instruments that can be played without the use of one hand and arm.
Mat said,
“There have been so many technological advancements since the last OHMI conference in 2018. It’s exciting to think what might result from this year’s submissions and how it might create more choice of instruments for disabled musicians.
It’s really important to me that one-handed players, whatever their age, have agency in choosing their own instrument. As a six-year-old, the trumpet was chosen for me but the guitar turned out to be my real passion.
I was fortunate to progress on it quite quickly but playing the instrument one-handed has occasionally attracted hostility from some who think it should only be played in a traditional way, or by certain players. I really think design can mitigate some of the negative reactions disabled musicians face and look forward to seeing how the charity might challenge them.”
Clare Salters, OHMI’s Chair, added,
“Mat’s professional experience in instrument design combined with his personal experience as a one-handed musician will be a very welcome addition to the OHMI trustee board. We’re also delighted to have the opportunity to gain insights from his outreach work about how the music education sector - universities, music hubs, schools etc - can work together to make music more accessible.”
All at OHMI extend their warmest welcome to Mat.
 
(OHMI’s 2024 competition will be launched in December. Information will be added shortly to OHMI’s Competition page.)

We are delighted to announce that Simon King is one of four new trustees to join the OHMI Board.
Simon is a Chartered Accountant who has held governance, risk and assurance roles in both the public and private sectors. Before working with large corporate and public interest organisations, he had experience as both internal and external auditor for housing associations and charities. He has been a Trustee of an educational trust and is a senior civil servant.
As well as being a member of the main board of trustees, Simon will chair OHMI’s new Finance, Risk and Audit Committee. Comprising a small number of staff and trustees, the role of the new committee will be to provide detailed, expert advice to the board and support for staff in managing the charity’s finances.
Simon said,
“I have no background in music, teaching or disability so I guess I’m quite different to other OHMI trustees! What I think I can bring to the role is my ability to see things differently, inside the charity but outside. For my part, I don’t just want to give assurances that the finances are in good order; I also want to explore how I can raise funds myself and help bring new instruments to life as a result.”
Clare Salters, OHMI’s Chair, added,
“Simon has a wealth of experience of governance and risk in organisations significantly bigger than OHMI so we know there is a lot he can bring to the table. His external perspective will also provide a valuable challenge function for the rest of us. I am particularly grateful to him for chairing our new Finance, Risk and Audit Committee to ensure the trustees are fully across the detail of the charity's finances.”
All at OHMI extend their warmest welcome to Simon. 

OHMI is delighted to announce the appointment of its new Instrument Development Manager, Megan Steinberg. The appointment signals our ambitions to accelerate delivery in developing new adapted musical instruments and enabling equipment for disabled musicians of all ages.
 
It is a complex piece of work that requires building strong relationships with instrument makers and disabled musicians alike, and Megan brings some strong credentials. She is a composer and turntablist who works with professional and amateur disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent musicians to create new and experimental music, including as part of her PhD studies in Composition at Royal Northern College of Music in association with Drake Music. Her work has led to her recognition by the BRIT Awards 2024 as a trailblazer in music, inclusion and accessibility (Mastercard shines a light on music trailblazers ahead of The BRIT Awards 2024).
 
Megan’s role of OHMI Instrument Development Manager will involve visiting independent instrument makers, including students, to progress work on bespoke commissions for particular adapted instruments and enabling equipment, as well as larger organisations on mass production opportunities.
 
Megan said, “As someone who has disabilities, living my life in a creative way is second nature. Through necessity, disabled people must find workarounds all the time. This has undoubtedly led to a huge amount of progress in technology and I’m really excited about the role I can play in helping to progress new instruments for disabled musicians. I know OHMI has a long list of adapted instruments and enabling equipment it would like to evolve, from a one-handed saxophone to bow and violin holders and a tenor horn stand. I love instruments so I can’t wait to get started!”
 
Rachel Wolffsohn, OHMI’s General Manager, added,
 
“Megan joins us at the perfect time as we prepare for the December launch of our 2025 competition, set up to challenge instrument makers, designers and technicians to create and develop musical instruments that can be played without the use of one hand and arm. (Information will be added shortly to OHMI’s Competition page.)
 
“Having a dedicated staff member managing the large number of projects we have in process will enable us to bring each one to fruition more quickly and enable a greater range of options of instruments that allow full participation in musical life to be available for those that need them.  Instruments that emulate traditional instruments but meet the individual needs of the performer have always been at the heart of OHMI’s work, and Megan’s appointment is an exciting new step on that path.”
 
Learn more about OHMI at: http://www.ohmi.org.uk.

​We are delighted to announce that Lia Mice is one of four new trustees to join the OHMI Board.
Lia is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, educator and maker of oversized musical instruments whose works range from live A/V performance, composition, digital musical instrument design, installations and interactive sonic sculpture to academic papers. She is also the Programme Leader of the MA Creative Music Production at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, London.
 
Australian by birth, Lia made her home in the UK some nine years ago, with the opportunity to perform in so many different and internationally renowned venues being a particular pull.
Lia first become involved in OHMI in 2018 when, as part of her PhD in Media and Arts Technology at Queen Mary University of London, she worked on a six-month project to develop a concept for a one-handed violin. The project gave her a greater awareness of the importance of inclusive teaching and assessing students’ needs.

Lia said, “As a programme leader of a Master’s in creative music production and as a music tutor, I am committed to developing and championing inclusive music technology and teaching practices. Since working with OHMI six years ago, the work of the charity has always been on my radar so it’s great to now be invited on as a trustee.”

Clare Salters, OHMI’s Chair, added,
“We’re delighted to welcome Lia to OHMI’s Board. Her incredible knowledge of building instruments together with her PhD in instrument design will be so valuable to OHMI, not least in developing our biennial competition and assessing the submissions of papers and presentations for our major conference on Music & Physical Disability, taking place in Birmingham in March.”
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All at OHMI extend their warmest welcome to Lia.