Accessible Music Concert with the EyeHarp
On October 20th we present the result of the project MUSA: Musica Accesible, a collaboration between the MTG and Phonos with the support of Obra Social La Caixa and Petites Grans Idees.
The project has the objective of facilitate the development of musical skills to a group of people with motor disabilities by using the accessible digital instrument EyeHarp, an instrument that allows to play music with the gaze or the head. During the project, EyeHarp users have played together with other musicians to prepare a concert that will integrate the EyeHarp with different acoustic instruments. The purpose of the project is to improve the autonomy of the participants through making them able to play a musical instrument.
The project
MUSA: Música Accesible is a project for social inclusion that seeks to break barriers in musical practice thanks to new technologies. This project, coordinated by the Phonos Foundation in collaboration with the Music Technology Group (MTG) of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, has the participation of two entities that work with people with cerebral palsy: Fundació Catalana de Paràlisi Cerebral and Fundació Llars de l’Amistat Chesire. On the other hand, the project also counts with music institutions where teachers and students join the project to create musical ensembles together with the EyeHarp: the EMMCA (Escola Municipal de Música Centre de les Arts de l’Hospitalet) and Escola de Municipal Música i Dansa de Sta Perpètua de Mogoda. MUSA project has been funded by Obra Social La Caixa as part of the Art For Change program and the microfunding program Petites Grans Idees of the UPF.
The EyeHarp
The EyeHarp is a digital instrument developed by the MTG research group. This facilitates people with severe motor disabilities to play music through their eyes. One of the objectives of the instrument and the project is to allow users to play in a music group, along with other musicians, because the EyeHarp is an instrument that can emulate any sound of a classical or modern instrument.
The concert
On October 20, participants in the project will play several pieces with the EyeHarp that they have been preparing along with other instruments. The concert will take place at the Sala Aranyó of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra at 12 PM.
MUSA concert
Saturday 20th October 2018, 12h
Sala Aranyó
C/ Tanger 122, Barcelona
Free entrance
Media coverage
Article in Valors magazine about MUSA project (25.10.2018)
Interview to Zacharias Vamvakousis in the radio program "Aqui, amb Josep Cuní" of Cadena SER (23.10.2018)
Article in La Vanguardia about MUSA concert (21.10.2018)
News article in Catalunya Vanguardista about MUSA concert (18.10.2018)