On 24th of March 2018 the National Centre of Expertise for Cultural Education and Amateur Arts, the Cultural Participation Fund, the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the Research Group Arts Education, organized the one-day conference ‘My music ability’. On that day the themes music, disability and technology met. National and international presenters were invited to share their best practices with the aim to provide practitioners with philosophical ideas and practical tools for their practice and to call the attention of policy makers to the need of inclusive music education. During the conference the following issues were explored:
· What do the concepts of accessibility, inclusion and equity really mean in practice?
· Which (technology-based) instruments make music ensembles, pop bands and orchestra’s accessible?
· How can music teachers and other professionals become inspired and more equipped for working with people with a disability?
Furthermore, the conference presented the outcomes of the Artist-in residence project that was organized for the Bachelor of Music in Education of the Conservatory of Amsterdam. As inclusive music education and the know-how regarding accessible music technology is still an emerging field in the Netherlands, Drake Music was invited as ‘artist-in-residence’ to work with the students. The goal of the project was for students to become inspired and more equipped to work with inclusive ensembles and inclusive music classrooms.
Presenters

Drake Music - Ben Lunn and Tim Yates
On pioneering the use of assistive music technology to enable disabled people to make music.

Music Centre Resonaari Helsinki - Markku Kaikkonen and Tuulikki Laes
About what inclusion in music teaching means and music teacher activism.

My Breath My Music - Ruud van der Wel and Karin van Dijk
About the aim to give people with severe physical disabilities the opportunity to play music, using either self-adapted electronic instruments or selve developed electronic instruments.

British council - Ben Evans
About Disability and the Arts: including information about artists, international collaborations, and best practice.

Surrey Music Hub with UP! / Infinity Orchestra - Jim Pinchen and Ben Bastin
UP! Orchestra is an ensemble designed to be accessible for young people aged 13+ with special educational needs

Nederlands gebarenkoor - Siska Ursum and Betty Kooi
Over met elkaar zingen in gebaren, genieten met elkaar en van de muziek en het zichtbaarder maken van doof- en slechthorendheid.

United by music - Joris van Wijngaarden
Over het ontstaan, de werkwijze en ambities van de stichting.
Documentation
Read the article 'Waarom kunnen nog steeds niet alle mensen met een beperking terecht bij een muziekdocent? (in Dutch), by Melissa Bremmer and Marian van Miert, LKCA 2018
Listen to the podcast, a registration of the conference
![[Translate to English:] [Translate to English:]](/media/ahk/_processed_/6/a/csm_HEADERS7_lgroen_853c85f7a4.png)


