Pupils from a special needs school are preparing to perform at the Royal Albert Hall using a digital instrument that some children will play with their eyes, the BBC reported.
Students from Chadsgrove School in Bromsgrove will take part in Music for Youth, an annual gathering of 3,000 young people from across the UK, on Monday and Tuesday evening, according to the BBC. Several pupils will play Clarion, an electronic instrument designed specifically for disabled musicians that can be played using any part of the body and is downloaded onto tablets and laptops.
Music teacher Steph Wellings described Clarion as a gamechanger for music making in a special school, the BBC said. The school has been working with Open Orchestras, a UK-wide music education programme that makes instrumental music-making accessible to young disabled students.
Chadsgrove School is a specialist school for pupils with physical disabilities and complex medical needs. Wellings said the instrument can be played by touch screen or by using eye movement, allowing educators to tailor how each child accesses music and expresses creativity, the BBC reported.
Student Oscar, 17, who has cerebral palsy, said he was excited to play keyboard at the venue. Arjen, 15, who also has cerebral palsy, plays djembe and wah-wah tubes and said he hopes to become a music producer, according to the BBC.
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