Week of Sound | Clarion Call : Digital Music-Making Open Up Accessibility

This event presents the Clarion, the first-ever digital instrument being assessed by ABRSM through its Open Music Assessment. Developed by Open Up Music with and for disabled musicians, it is already widely played in Open Orchestras, the National Open Youth Orchestra and other inclusive ensembles in the UK. Available on iPads and Windows devices, this innovative instrument can be played expressively with any part of the body including eye movement.

Learn how the Clarion can support more inclusive practice, have a go at playing it and creating musical patterns with it. Join us for an introduction to learning, performing, and teaching the instrument with Open Up Music's Jonathan Westrup and James Risdon.

Jonathan Westrup is the Education and Learning Manager for Open Up Music. He leads work around the teaching and learning aspects of Clarion, as well as the Open Orchestras programme, which supports special schools to set up and run their own inclusive ensembles.

James Risdon is the Access Lead at ABRSM. He has responsibility for ensuring fair access to their assessments. He plays a leading role in ABRSM’s focus on diversity and inclusion through partnerships, talks and presentations. Blind from birth, he was previously the Music Officer at RNIB.

James is a professional recorder player and a founder member of Paraorchestra with whom he made his Proms debut in 2025.

Spaces for this workshop are limited.

Participants are encourage to bring their own iPad or Windows tablet with Clarion downloaded onto it.

Equipment will be provided for those who cannot.

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Please let us know if you require any support accessing this event by emailing [email protected].

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Host or Publisher Edinburgh College of Art