The musicians with disabilities embracing virtual reality

By  BBC – November 2, 2023

A version of this article was first published on BBC

“I used to play instruments all the time and then I thought that was over for me, but actually it was only beginning.”

Christine Williamson is speaking about life before she had a brain aneurism.

It caused her to lose some function on the left side of her body.

The Dundonald woman feared she would never play a musical instrumental again, but that all changed when she joined a unique group.

Christine has been part of a music research programme run by the charity Brain Injury Matters.

The research, based in Northern Ireland, uses Virtual Reality (VR) to allow musicians with disabilities to play specially-designed virtual instruments.

Musicians with both congenital and acquired disabilities use VR headsets to transport them to a different world where they have their choice of instruments.

They use their hands to touch light and tap different virtual instruments to trigger different sounds.

The virtual reality instruments can morph into all shapes and sizes.

‘It gives me freedom’

Gary Wylie sustained a brain injury after a car accident, he is also part of the virtual reality musical group.

He said: “When I put the headset on, I see a harp in front of me, and I can lean forward and play it, it’s class.”

Another member of the group is Mary-Louise McCord, who has cerebral palsy.

She communicates with the help of her computer and eye-gaze technology.

The virtual reality controller allows her to make upper body movements to compose her own music.

“Sometime my hands don’t behave how I want them to and I love the options and freedom the VR gives me to experience any instrument I want,” she said.

“It gives me opportunities I otherwise would not have.”

The project is a collaboration between Queen’s University Belfast and Drake Music Northern Ireland.

The musicians use specifically-designed digital instruments created by Queen’s PhD researcher Damian Mills.

“The musicians use spatial audio technology to immerse themselves in a different reality and they are creating some interesting results,” he said.

‘I had to pinch myself’

The group recently used their VR musical instruments to perform alongside the Ulster Orchestra as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival.

Ulster University’s (UU) new Belfast campus was the venue and they were also joined by the UU’s Acoustronic group.

Christine Williamson’s family and friends came along to watch her perform with the world-famous orchestra.

She said: “I just had to pinch myself performing with the orchestra.

“Being part of the VR musician group has led me on such an amazing journey.”

Mary-Louise McCord also played alongside Christine and the Ulster Orchestra.

She added: “Yes there are still stereotypes and stigmas surrounding different abilities within the arts.

“But projects like this show that it is getting better.”