“Progress has been enormous – and not just musically. Our children have grown in confidence, and love having such a different set of experiences.”
Mike Reeves, Acting Headteacher, Garratt Park School
Start your own inclusive orchestra
Get ready for exciting first times! With Open Orchestras, learning an instrument, playing with others and performing live becomes accessible to all young disabled students. Through your orchestra, you’ll support them to be creative with music, year after year. They will also build their confidence, make friends and have fun.
A game-changing music education programme
With 60 orchestras currently running in special schools around the UK, you’ll be part of an awesome community – and do some of your proudest work.
Unlock new musical opportunities for your students including those with PMLD. Your students will love being part of the band, and you’ll love it too.
Watch the video about St Andrew’s Open Orchestra for an insight into how it works. Programme Manager Jonathan Westrup and Helen Temple, NE Area Leader of Music Development for Derby & Derbyshire Music Partnership share why the impact for students, families and schools goes well beyond the music room.
A flexible programme that works in any setting
“What does an Open Orchestra sound like?”
“Can it work in my school?”
No two Open Orchestras are the same, and yours will be like no other. Our young-person centered programme guides you to develop your orchestra around your musicians – their personalities, interests and abilities. They might play traditional instruments like guitar and drums, or accessible ones like the Clarion.
Meet three wonderful orchestras in our community:
Anyone can take part in Open Orchestras
The recommended age for Open Orchestras is 8-19 years old.
Beyond that, it’s for any student who could benefit from ‘joining the band’. Open Orchestras is about making music, but also making friends and building a sense of confidence and achievement.
Being in the orchestra gives some young disabled people a new sense of purpose and identity.
It helps them find their place in school, and through music, learn transferable skills that could benefit their learning in other subjects too.
Some schools choose participants from across the school, others, year groups. Some select students with a specific set of needs.
The key for it to work is to have a mix of personalities and styles within the group… Like with any successful band!
Discover the Clarion
The Clarion® is part of the Open Orchestras subscription and will become part of your instrument mix. It’s expressive like traditional instruments but also highly accessible. It can be played on iPad or Windows PCs with any part of the body including head or eye movement, using head trackers or eyegaze technology. There’s no need to read music to play it and be creative.
