Alessandro Vazzana plays the Clarion with Great Britain’s National Open Youth Orchestra. Photo courtesy of Open Up Music.
In Sunday’s (12/14) BBC (U.K.), Kevin Satizabal Carrascal and Beth Rose write, “Music is said to be a language that transcends all others. But traditional instruments are not always as inclusive as they could be. Now, another instrument is about to open up the music scene … as it is officially recognized by the classical music world. Alessandro Vazzana, 26, has been playing music since he was five years old…. Disabled since birth, he uses an electric wheelchair and has seen a decline in his ability to use his hands. He has Fragile X syndrome, resulting in a learning disability which can impact communication, but not his love for music…. He was introduced to the Clarion, an entirely digital instrument which made music accessible once again. The Clarion is essentially software which can mimic the sound of any instrument … and works on technology including iPads. This doesn’t make it a lesser instrument…. Barry Farrimond-Chuong from Open Up Music is one of [Clarion’s] designers … Barry is behind Open Up Music, which runs 60 inclusive orchestras across the country as well as the National Open Youth Orchestra ‘for young musicians who could feasibly have a career in music, if there were no barriers.’ ”
