What is a musical instrument and who gets to be a musician? These are themes that have continually run through my practice as a maker of music, a builder of musical instruments and an educator. This is particularly relevant as the Social Model of Disability tells us that people are disabled by barriers in society, not their impairment.
In my experience, accessibility in music-making can be a creative practice in itself. When it's done well, it benefits everyone as it allows us to focus on getting into the music-making straight away, rather than being prescriptive about what form it should take. While I can be as invested in the canon of musical instruments and musical history as the next person, I find it exciting to be fluid in my approach to musical instrument design. When we are, it can make space for something new and open our worlds in very exciting ways.
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