Music Inclusion Ensemble: A Concert of Adaptation and Evolution
The Music Inclusion Ensemble is an innovative musical collaboration of disabled artists reimagining classical music. Developed and codirected by Adrian Anantawan, Gaelynn Lea, and Molly Joyce, this ensemble is joined by a rotating cast of talented disabled musicians and allies at various stages of their musical careers.
The artistic intention of the Music Inclusion Ensemble is to make disability the central theme and narrative of their compositions, to perform a diverse repertoire of music composed by those with disabilities, and to commission work specifically composed for the members of this ensemble.
The Music Inclusion Ensemble also provides the framework and inspiration for other musicians with disabilities to collaborate with each other, celebrating their disabilities as a form of diversity rather than hiding it within their artistic practice.
Like Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, their long-term goal is to create a network of accomplished musicians with disabilities that can serve as mentors for youth with disabilities, some of whom might not see a path for themselves in the music industry.
The Music Inclusion Ensemble is helping to create a more explicit culture around the intersection of music and disability, amplifying voices of diverse ability backgrounds, and leading the way in artistic innovation within the United States and abroad.