The orchestra is a much-loved institution, instantly recognisable in sound and appearance. Few of us ever think about the effort that goes into creating that sound – after all, it has been crafted to appear effortless. However, it is hard to overestimate how much work is involved for the musicians. Playing in an orchestra is an intensely physical job, and with very repetitive movements and often awkward postures, injury and chronic pain are common. This kind of environment can be challenging for any musician, but it may present additional barriers for disabled musicians. The core expectations and physical demands of an orchestral career have a lot to tell us about how we see disability and physical difference in wider society. How and why are certain types of bodies valued more than others?

To explore this area, I am undertaking a three-year, British Academy funded postdoctoral fellowship exploring how orchestral music, disability, and human rights come together. The aim of the research is to understand the physical demands of playing in professional orchestras and how that relates to accessibility for disabled musicians and wellbeing for musicians generally.

 flute and music manuscript

The Right to Culture

Having access to culture in all its forms, including music, is considered a human right. Scotland has been fairly progressive in its attitude towards rights, but cultural rights are often missing from the conversation. We may occasionally see discussions about making arts venues accessible for audience members, which is vital, but it can be forgotten that disabled people still face significant barriers to being performers in cultural professions. This is particularly true for genres like ballet and classical music, which are based on strict traditions, prestige, and a high level of skill and have very specific expectations and ideals that artists must follow if they want a career.

Fitting the Mould

In my research, I am focusing on orchestras because they are seen as an elite space in music. The orchestra tends to be associated with having a certain level of financial, class, and cultural privilege – for example, it can be very difficult to achieve the required skill level without access to private tuition as a child. This means that it can be challenging for musicians who do not fit the mould of the classical tradition, particularly in terms of physical health and appearance. Half of disabled musicians in the UK classical music sector have reported facing barriers that have limited their opportunities, and this can be compounded when musicians have multiple minority identities (ICM Unlimited, 2021; ISM, 2018). This makes orchestral music an interesting case study of the wider barriers and attitudes towards disability and physical difference and how well Scotland is fulfilling the right to culture.

Expectations of the Body

The orchestra has certain standards and expectations that can exclude disabled musicians while also affecting non-disabled musicians. Musicians are expected to consistently perform at their best, but the way they are taught to use the body to play orchestral instruments and the amount of time they need to dedicate to practice can result in injuries and chronic pain. Holding a flute or violin, for example, is not a natural position to maintain for long periods (rehearsals may last up to six hours a day), and multiple surveys have reported that more than half of orchestral musicians experience playing-related pain (Berque et al., 2016; Zāo et al., 2024).

In a context already defined by these expectations, disabled musicians can face additional challenges, such as venues with poor access for performers (e.g. stages and orchestra pits often have steps) or bias in auditions. Musicians may need to buy costly instrument adaptations and supports because traditional instruments were designed for non-disabled bodies—much more attention is given to acoustics than ergonomics or comfort. Lengthy rehearsals may be challenging with energy-limiting or unpredictable health conditions. Musicians with an invisible disability may prefer not to disclose to their employers, as many are freelance and could lose job opportunities and income if they are seen as not fit enough.

The result of this is that the professional orchestra could be difficult to enter and stay in for disabled musicians, but that environment also could directly or indirectly contribute to disability. This is a challenging and at times taboo subject due to the amount of hard work and luck it takes to have a successful career in a very competitive and highly skilled industry.

The Bodies of Work Study

To find out more about the current situation for musicians, I am interviewing orchestral musicians in Scotland to talk about the physical demands of their careers, their experiences of having a disability or injury, how well they feel they are supported, and what could be improved. I am also speaking to leadership and management staff (e.g. conductors and directors) to find out their experiences of working with musicians with a disability and work-related injury and how well they think musicians are supported in the industry. Collaborative workshops with disabled musician participants will allow for discussions about accessibility in orchestras and how to improve it. I am also examining Scottish orchestras’ equalities, diversity, and inclusion policies to understand what is already in place to create accessible and safe work environments, and where there may be gaps between those policies and musicians’ experiences.

My hope is that this work will facilitate more open conversations about what we ask of the body in upholding the orchestral tradition and how we might make that safer and more accessible for all musicians. We lose out when we think of disability and access as an afterthought and only affecting a minority – when we make environments and processes accessible for disabled people, it benefits everyone.

References

Berque, P., Gray, H., & McFayden, A. (2016). Playing-related musculoskeletal problems among professional orchestra musicians in Scotland: A prevalence study using a validated instrument, the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians (MPIIQM). Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 31(2), 78—86. DOI:10.21091/mppa.2016.2015

ICM Unlimited. (2021). Creating a more inclusive classical music: A study of the English orchestral workforce and the current routes to joining it. Workforce survey. Arts Council England.

ISM (2018). Dignity at work: A survey of discrimination in the music sector. Available at:https://www.ism.org/images/images/ISM_Dignity-at-work-April-2018.pdf

Zāo, A., Altenmüller, E., & Azevedo, L. (2024). Performance-related pain and disability among music students versus professional musicians: A multicenter study using a validated tool. Pain Medicine, 25, 568—576. DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnae032

 

Musicians’ Census 2023 Disabled Musicians Report

Inclusive and disabled-led orchestras and music networks:

First published: 31 July 2025

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