The Adaptive Music Bridging Program is giving students with disability a chance to join the band

This February, Melbourne Youth Orchestra’s (MYO) Adaptive Music Come and Try Day gave students with disabilities a chance to try out a range of musical instruments as part of MYO’s Adaptive Music Bridging Program, led by Dr Anthea Skinner from the University of Melbourne.

Eleven students, aged between 8 and 14, had a chance to play a range of standard and adapted instruments supplied by Yamaha Music Australia and the University of Melbourne. The instruments included standard orchestral and band instruments like clarinets, trumpets, and drum kits, as well as instruments especially designed for people with disability that could be played with limited hand movement or using Eye Tracking software.

A team of specialist staff from the University of Melbourne were on hand to provide advice and answer questions. The project team are working directly with students and their families to ensure that each young musician has access to an instrument that meets their needs. Once they’ve chosen their instruments, students will rehearse weekly as part of the MYO’s Adaptive Music Bridging Program, designed to give them the skills they need to graduate into MYO’s mainstream ensembles and pursue their musical dreams.

Yamaha Music Australia recognises the vast impact that music education can make across all areas of life, and believes that the arts should be an important part of education for every Australian. As such, the team at Yamaha are proud to support initiatives such as Melbourne Youth Orchestra’s Adaptive Music Bridging Program.