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​Students and musicians supported by OHMI 

Making my 8-year old self proud of her recorder accomplishments!    
​The story of Emmy

Emmy was born with left-sided hemiparesis, a type of cerebral palsy, which meant that she could only get so far with her recorder playing at primary school. Now aged 40 and having recently discovered the one-handed recorder, she’s on a mission to carry on where she left off as she describes.

My cerebral palsy and the one-handed flute:    
​The story of Rebekah Goulston

Rebekah Goulston is a flautist who has recently achieved Merit at Grade 1 with her one-handed instrument. Such is her enthusiasm for music and her flute-playing, she suggested she and OHMI offer an information evening for an online group of which she is a member, UP! The Adult Cerebral Palsy movement. Here, Rebekah discusses her musical journey and the hurdles along the way, her recent progress with the flute, as well as tips for other people living with cerebral palsy (CP) or weaknesses that affect their playing of standard instruments.

OHMI’s first Music-Maker to learn the one-handed clarinet ​    
​The story of Rowan

Rowan, who is visually impaired, is the first OHMI Music-Maker to learn the one-handed clarinet.
 
Rowan has achieved her Grade 2 and is working towards her Grade 3. It is the social aspect of playing the clarinet that holds such appeal. Here, Rowan recounts what playing in an orchestra means to her and why she chooses to read Braille music.

How the one-handed recorder is helping to spread the magic of Disney!    
​The story of Samiya

Samiya is one of OHMI’s most established musicians. From taking up the recorder at the age of 10, she can count many accomplishments, including playing in ensembles and orchestras, winning Arts Award Discover Bronze and Silver Awards, and mastering ‘A Whole New World’ and many other Disney songs!

Playing the one-handed Great Highland Bagpipes    
​The story of Kaila Bartlett

Kaila has hemiplegic cerebral palsy but knew that she wanted to find a way to play this iconic Scottish instrument.  Read more to find out how she achieved her goal.​

Supporting a student to regain their confidence and interest in music.
​Emily from Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership writes about her work using the Artiphon Instrument 1.

Emily from the Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership supported a class who has taken part in Wider Opportunities. Below is her review of the work in supporting one of the students who has Cerebral Palsy which makes holding and especially playing the instrument very difficult.  The instrument the class were learning was the violin so posed a number of challenges to adapt. ​

Finding a way back to music-making after disability.
​The story of Brian Condon.

There is very little that can prepare an individual for disability, particularly when onset is sudden and through traumatic circumstances. When it impacts that which is relied upon as comfort during tough times – the opportunity to make music – the blow seems even crueller. It is a life-changing experience faced by veteran musician Brian Condon, as he explains.

From hospital to world-renowned stage.
​The story of Tina Holmes-Davis.

During the course of our work, OHMI very often comes across individuals whose ability to make music is seriously impeded by a seismic event. ​That was certainly the case for Tina Holmes-Davis, an accomplished clarinettist and bass player living in Georgia, USA. It seemed that a brain injury would cut short her musical talent. However, Tina – with her fierce determination and equipped with the right adapted instrument – defied the odds and recently perform at Carnegie Hall, New York. Here, Tina recounts her progress from hospital to world-renowned stage.

Playing a woodwind instrument despite rheumatoid arthritis. The story of Louise Parry.

Retiree Louise Parry lives with the autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis. It’s a condition that she first developed at the age of 40. As the condition has got progressively worse over the last thirty years, Louise has adapted her life accordingly. 

The story of trombone-playing Owain

Having recently achieved his Grade 4, 12-year-old Owain, who was born without a right hand and with a partly-formed left hand, has become OHMI’s most accomplished trombone player. Having access to suitable equipment has unleashed a hidden musical talent which was put on proud display when he represented OHMI at a recent Lambeth Palace performance, as mum Melissa recounts. 

How a love for music-making lives on. The story of Neill Duncan and Maarten Visser. 

Accomplished and innovative jazz saxophonist Neill Duncan, who sadly passed away at the end of 2021, knew all too well that access to a one-handed instrument could be life-changing. When he became an upper limb amputee, he said of his one-handed saxophone, “It’s given me my music back. It’s given me my passion back. It’s given me my job back.”, Maarten Visser, creator of said instrument, recounts his collaboration with Neill. He is joined by Rachel Wolffsohn, OHMI’s General Manager, who reflects on the impact Neill’s performances had on others.

Accomplished music-making made possible with a specially adapted recorder.  The story of Ester Mannouch.

Esther Mannouch is a retiree who feared radiotherapy damage to her hand would end her music-making. A recorder designed to meet her specific needs, and access to the wider support of the OHMI network, has allowed a welcome return to playing the recorder. She tells us about her journey.

Fully functioning French horn stand created thanks to make-a-thon. The story of Chris Griffiths and Hackcessible. 

​An important element of OHMI’s work is supporting research and development of new adapted musical instruments and enabling equipment. Often these solutions lie in the ingenious minds of young engineers which is why OHMI was keen to become a collaborative partner on the Hackcessible’s make-a-thon. 

Here we tell the story of professional French horn player, Chris Griffiths, who is one of the project’s most recent beneficiaries.

Adding breath to inclusive music-making. How Brass Bands England and OHMI have joined forces to ensure that disabled musicians have access to their brass instruments of choice.

​Rosie Banham is Membership Services Manager for Brass Bands England. She is part of the charity’s EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) group.

​Here she explains why it’s so important that disabled brass musicians have access to services like those provided by the OHMI Trust. 

How a stroke was no match for the might of the trombone. The story of Will McLean

​When someone suffers the devastation of a stroke, ‘conventional’ instrument playing is often out of the question. The journey back to music-making can be achieved, however, with the aid of specially adapted equipment.
 
Here we tell the story of musician, performer and music teacher, Will Mclean, and how much his love for music meant to his recovery.

How the digital violin is enabling music-making in a life lived with cerebral palsy. The story of Marylouise McCord

An important strand of OHMI’s work in enabling music-making for disabled people is its research into music education, instrument design and instrument manufacture. The OHMI Research Partnership (ORP) was set up in 2018 to establish OHMI’s relationships with several research groups at UK universities and to develop new research projects and collaborations. As part of the ORP’s work, we recently supported a 6-month placement project with Alex Lucas, a PhD student at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) at Queen’s University Belfast. The project explored co-designing a one-handed digital violin with disabled musician Marylouise McCord.

How surviving a stroke led back to a childhood love of the recorder. The story of Gareth Churchill

When a person develops a disability, activities that were once considered unremarkable can seem stubbornly out of reach. Here we tell the story of Gareth Churchill, a disabled composer based in Cardiff, who rekindled his love of the recorder after surviving a stroke.  

How disability is no barrier to music-making for children in Northamptonshire. The impact of the IAMM project.

​As the UK’s leading authority on adaptation of traditional instruments, OHMI is uniquely positioned to provide solutions that give pupils parity of experience with their peers and enable teachers to use uniform pedagogical approaches across a whole class.​

Instruments commissioned through the OHMI Competition 

​Duncan Menzies of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and his winning entry to the 2017 OHMI Competition of a P-bROCK Digital Bagpipe Chanter.

Testimonials

​I like really expressing myself through music!
Cian
B can lead the lessons. He wants to do it and is not oppressed by ‘this is the way it should be done.’
​Mel (guardian) 
He got to play in the talent show and everyone was happy.
Playing her instrument really helps her confidence.
​Paula (parent)
I like it when you get it done and you can play it faster. I like fast!
Henry
Playing the euphonium is doing a lot to build his self-confidence.
Andy (teacher)

Measuring OHMI’s impact

Comments on OHMI's work:

It was fascinating to hear and see some of the work you have been doing with students in Nottingham... It was eye and mind opening and,... so inspiring to see young children with disabilities being given the opportunity to join a conventional group and play music as equals.
Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair of Arts Council England following his visit to a Music-Makers session in March 2020. 
I see OHMI as much more than just making an instrument for one hand - it’s about ways of interpreting very dextrous sensing with expressive sophistication, and the computer becoming a prosthetic partner rather than just a new tool.
Joe Paradiso, MIT Media Lab Associate Professor
I have waited years for something like OHMI to come along. And it’s so exciting that one day I could learn to play a traditional instrument along with others, and be accepted as a musician rather than someone with a special need or disability. It’s  just amazing that OHMI’s doing this.
Charlotte White, Disabled Musician (View: The OHMI Trust - An Interview with Charlotte White)
I received notice from a school that one of the pupils would have difficulty holding a trumpet in both hands and would therefore be unable to play the notes required. OHMI’s trumpet stand allows the instrument to be played one handed. Within ten weeks, this resourceful and resilient young chap was buzzing. It was a very practical demonstration – to him and others around him – that, with the right equipment, any difference in his hands was certainly not going to be an obstacle.
John Bickerdike, Teacher for NMPAT ​(View: ​How disability is no barrier to music-making for children in Northamptonshire )

Donate to OHMI

There are so many disabled people who are desperate to play music with their peers. We can help to make that happen – but we can only do that with the wonderful support of our funders and donors.

As our instruments have to be hand-made by experts, they can only be produced in small numbers and are therefore expensive.
Every little really does help.

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You can also write to us: The OHMI Trust, ​29 Woodbourne Road, ​Harborne, Birmingham B17 8BY​

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The OHMI Trust is a registered charity (Registered in England and Wales Charity No. 1143623,  Scotland Charity No. SC052047).
​Registered office: 29 Woodbourne Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 8BY