ABC Classic has released a new video series exploring the experiences of musicians with disability to mark 2021 International Day of People with Disability.
Hosted by braille specialist, journalist and musician Ria Andriani, each of the four episodes interviews a different musician about what hacks they use to make music, the assumptions they encounter and how they’re changing perceptions through their involvement in the music industry.
Making the series had personal meaning for Andriani. "Being a musician with disability, knowing how music works has been absolutely crucial to my involvement. There are a lot of things behind the scenes that an ordinary chorister/band member doesn't necessarily know happens. I wanted to know what other musicians with disability (and their networks) do to enable their involvement in the music industry."
Kicking off the series on 23 November, Andriani interviews fellow soprano Jordie Howell. Howell loves being an opera singer, but when she started auditioning for opera companies, she found she was getting very similar feedback: "You sing very musically, you sing in tune, but we’re concerned about your mobility on the stage." Howell shares how she’s learnt about drama and stage craft as a blind person, and explores how the opera industry could be more accessible for musicians and singers who are blind.
On 30 November, composer, lyricist music producer, writer, instrumentalist, filmmaker and performer, Damon Smith, talks about working through the ups and downs of living with mental illness and experiencing poor mental health.
Percussionist Tessa Gutierrez shares her experiences in the video to be released on 3 December. Gutierrez is an orchestral percussionist and teacher and has Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder. She shares how adapting her set-up, and her physical placement in the orchestra enables her to play the full range of orchestral percussion with the North West Wind Ensemble in Castle Hill, Sydney. For Gutierrez:
"It’s all about what you can do and how you can adapt the world to suit what you would like to do. Dreams are important, and dreams can never be too big. There is always a way you can figure out to get there."
In the final episode of the series on 10 December, Andriani meets Auslan Choir Master, Tallula Bourne. Born deaf, she didn’t properly hear music until she received cochlear implants at age 12, and now runs weekly classes online from Northern New South Wales teaching music in Auslan (Australian Sign Language). Bourne explains how she interprets music into Auslan and coordinates the different parts of the choir.
Through the series, Andriani wanted to show a different side of the music industry, which in her experience can sometimes feel like it’s survival of the fittest. For musicians with disability, there are problems just getting an audition, let alone being able to perform on stage. "When musicians with disability do get portrayed in the media, they're often seen as 'inspirational' people who have overcome some enormous barrier, their disabilities, when often it's the situation that disables them, not the medical conditions. I wanted to focus on what sorts of access they opened up and what kind of network they built around them to stay involve. These stories are about another, gentler side of the music industry. I am amazed by the creativity and warmth which come through when we decide to help each other," she said.
The series was filmed remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, creating a number of interesting technical challenges, which become some of Andriani’s most memorable moments through the production: "Finding the close-caption function on Zoom to make our interview more accessible for Tallula comes pretty close to the top. Jordie's interview was the first so I still remember how nervous I was at the beginning of it all when we were still trying to work out if the tech set up was right."
Andriani is very clear about what she hopes audiences will get out of the series: "I want to send a message that musicians with disability can make as rich a contribution as their able-bodied peers." She is also clear that no two people with disabilities are the same. "All the interviewees have their own ways to be involved and make their musical marks. They are important parts of their communities and that is the most hopeful aspect of this series."
There is a clear message for making music more accessible:
"With the right intention and access pathways this world can be open to people with all abilities. In a way that's a much more fascinating and enduring story."
ABC is partnering with International Day of People with Disability to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the 4.4 million Australians with disability.
Source: ABC