About Connect the Dots

Connect the Dots is a series of workshops for composers and facilitators, teaching techniques in inclusive collaborative music making with disabled musicians. The workshops are facilitated by professional disabled musicians & practitioners of inclusive music groups.

In 2021, CoMA conducted its biennial survey and found 86% of composers surveyed claimed they have never worked with a disabled musician, and when individuals were approached to elaborate on why, the most common answer was “I don’t know how”. Through these workshops, CoMA aims to develop more opportunities, resources and understanding in collaborating with musicians who identify as disabled or would benefit from an alternative physical and/or mental approach to music-making.

The facilitators & their workshops

To date, Connect the Dots has run twice (January-February 2024 and January-February 2025), with the following facilitators and sessions each time:

Clare Johnston, an experienced music technologist presented the iPad as an inclusive musical instrument and led a practical workshop introducing the iPad app, Thumbjam.

Kate Risdon (flute) and Charlotte Bott (LinnStrument) from Bournemouth Symphony’s Disabled-Led Resound Ensemble focused on what the LinnStrument can do, practical considerations when writing for Braille scores, plus learning and rehearsal processes for Visually Impaired musicians.

Connect the Dots participants also attended a session with Soundbox, an all-ability inclusive music collective that brings together disabled and non-disabled musicians aged 11-25 run by Tower Hamlets Arts & Music Education Service.

Additionally in 2024, Sonic Bothy delivered an online session sharing their practice in the sector and to highlight the process behind the creation of their award-winning work ‘Verbaaaaatim’ (BBC Tectonics 2021 Commission).

And Artistic Director of National Open Youth Orchestra Doug Bott and composer Liam Taylor-West focused on the practical applications and creative possibilities of ‘recomposing’ work for inclusive ensembles.

For 2025, composer Liam Taylor-West and instrumentalist Cass Alabaster focused on the practical applications and creative possibilities of ‘recomposing’ work for inclusive ensembles, drawing on their experience working with and playing in National Open Youth Orchestra.

Access to Music Conference Panel - Connect the Dots

If you would like to be involved in future ‘Connect the Dots’ programmes, please register your interest by emailing info@coma.org.