Inclusive music for all

We passionately believe that music is for everyone!

For children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEN/D), mental health difficulties, or challenging life circumstances, research shows that music can be of great benefit. Yet there are often significant barriers to learning an instrument and making music with others.

Inclusion is at the heart of our plans and we believe in the transformative power of music to make the difference in ALL children and young people’s lives.

We work with a variety of partners to provide bespoke music projects to support children and young people with additional needs and disabilities to access high quality music making.

We work in partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Open Orchestras to support music making in Special Schools, including establishing bespoke orchestras and tailored programmes and projects.

Small group and 1-1 instrumental and vocal lessons can also be delivered by our team of tutors – who have experience of working with children with additional needs and disabilities.

RPO – Resound

Wandsworth Music has worked in partnership with the The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra since 2006.

The RPO’s ground breaking and award-winning Community and Education programme – RPO Resound – has been at the forefront of delivering orchestral outreach projects since its inception in 1993. The overarching objective of the programme is to leave a lasting legacy by harnessing the transformative power of music to improve participants’ aspirations, abilities and life chances.

In 2023 Wandsworth Music and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra delivered creative projects in four special schools, supporting 112 pupils and 42 staff to create new music. This resulted in a sensational joint performance alongside RPO musicians and mainstream peers, which took place at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 28 March 2023 as part of Wandsworth Music’s annual Brighter Sounds concert. The programme also featured a fifth cohort engaging with creative dance workshops to add movement elements to the final performance.

RPO Sub-Principal Flute Joanna Marsh said:

‘I never fail to be amazed at the positive impact music has on participants. It’s wonderful to see SEND students in particular developing new skills throughout projects. We recently worked with one young person who was really struggling to engage in any regular school lessons. He loved our music project and we watched his self-confidence grow, which in turn increased his interactions and he came up with some great ideas that formed the basis of the final composition.

‘We are fortunate to work with fantastic project leaders who are very experienced at knowing exactly how to tailor each workshop. No two projects are ever the same and I have learnt to be prepared to adapt very quickly and think outside the box! I find it a real privilege to see how people react and engage to music up close, it makes me feel personally very involved. 

‘I have done so many RPO Resound projects over the years and it is an aspect of our Orchestra of which I am particularly proud. Seeing the positive power that orchestral music has on people from so many diverse and sometimes challenging backgrounds is truly amazing.’

Joanna Marsh, Sub-Principal Flute

Open Orchestras

Open Orchestras is a programme designed for all children to participate in learning instruments and experience playing together. This programme gives children with special educational needs and disabilities their first interactions with traditional and accessible instruments and progressing into group music making.

For more information about how we can support your school or setting please contact Dan White