One-Handed Musical Instrument Trust celebrates ten years of inclusive music-making
Hattie Fisk
Monday, September 13, 2021
Disabled music charity, the OHMI Trust, is celebrating its tenth anniversary with an in-person and live streamed event, alongside a 2021 Competition Awards.
The charity aims to support disabled musicians of all ages, in the field of teaching, research and development, and awareness raising. Its popular Music-Makers and Inclusive Access to Music-Making programmes gain momentum each year, reaching an ever-growing pool of new musicians across England and Wales.
The charity has formed research partnerships with Queen Mary University (London) and Birmingham City University; OHMI’s wide-ranging work has received recognition in the House of Lords.
Taking place on 25 September, the tenth anniversary event will be held at Aston University, alongside the OHMI 2021 Competition Awards, and will be live streamed from 6pm BST. The event will include performances from the OHMI musical community, and will be hosted by British actor and disability activist Melissa Johns.
Rachel Wolffsohn, OHMI’s Manager, says: ‘[Johns] is a proud champion of the rights of disabled people, so she was the perfect choice in helping OHMI to bang the drum for inclusive music-making. Hosting the event, for the first time, as a blended live and broadcast event, will allow us to share the celebrations with a global audience, reflecting the truly international nature of the competition entries over the years.’
The biennial OHMI Competition Awards supports the development of musical instruments which can be played with the use of one hand or arm, attracting entries from across the globe.
Registrations for the tenth anniversary event can be submitted here.
