
Berklee's Trailblazing Music Inclusion Ensemble Debuts at Berklee Performance Center Led by Adrian Anantawan and Gaelynn Lea, this free concert highlights the talents of disabled musicians from across the Berklee community.
By
Daniel Pesquera
March 20, 2025
Berklees Music Inclusion Ensemble elevates the unique artistry of musicians with disabilities.
Elizabeth Friar
The Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education presents the Music Inclusion Ensemble in its debut appearance at the Berklee Performance Center on Saturday, April 12, at 7:00 p.m. This free public concert will feature original works and performances by professional musicians, students from the ensemble and the BIAAE, and the ensemble's cofounders, Gaelynn Lea and Adrian Anantawan.
A cast of 16 disabled musicians from various programs and initiatives has come together for this production, celebrating a wide range of contributions from the disability community. The concert program spans from Beethoven's classical works to an expanded arrangement of Lea's composition Bird Song, performed by the ensemble and Cambridge Common Voices, a community chorus of young adults with diverse learning challenges.
I am so excited to be joining forces with the Music Inclusion Ensemble once more, said Lea, who gained national recognition after winning NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. It is the perfect vehicle to showcase the adaptability, creative genius, and inclusion that are inherent in disability culture. Its a delight to watch this fabulous ensemble grow and evolve. I am so grateful to Adrian for bringing all of us together.
The show will also feature covers of popular songs, including Coldplay's Clocks, Carly Rae Jepsen's Symphony, and OneRepublic's Counting Stars, arranged by Connor Valcy, one of the ensemble's first students, who will also perform an original composition. In addition, BIAAE student Kai Levin's arrangements of Send Me Your Children, an original piece inspired by the invasion of Ukraine, and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors will be performed by the ensemble alongside Cambridge Common Voices and the BIAAE's Inner Harmony Ensemble chorus. Other featured performers include cellist and poet Kei Otake; blind violinist and disability advocate Julia LaGrand; and acclaimed cellist Adam Walden.
Music Inclusion Ensemble cofounder and violinist Adrian Anantawan.
Elizabeth Friar
It is an honor to have the opportunity to perform with these incredible musicians at the Berklee Performance Center and to showcase the artistic achievements of the members of the Music Inclusion Ensemble and the larger community, said Anantawan, an associate professor of violin at Berklee who has performed for the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and at the White House. The growth we've seen in this group in the two years since we started has been incredible. It's been very special for me to watch so many students showcase and embrace their disabilities, not for how it defines but rather how it distinguishes their brand of musicianship.
Founded in 2023, the Music Inclusion Ensemble places disability at the heart of its performances, compositions, and commissioned works, fostering an environment where disabled artists can collaborate and celebrate their identities as integral to their artistry. The ensemble's long-term mission is to cultivate a network of accomplished artists who mentor and inspire the next generation, creating a more inclusive and visible culture at the intersection of music and disability. Listen to a recent feature on the ensemble from NPR's World Cafe.
We are honored to present this concert of the Music Inclusion Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center, said Dr. Rhoda Bernard, founder and managing director of the BIAAE and assistant chair of music education. The talent of our student performers and the efforts of brilliant advocates like Adrian, Gaelynn, and so many others to elevate this community deserve to be recognized and celebrated. We are excited for our students at the Institute for Accessible Arts Education to have a chance to bring their work to life in this amazing production.
The Music Inclusion Ensemble with Gaelynn Lea takes place Saturday, April 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center. Tickets to the free concert are available online and at the Berklee box office at 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Toto in the recording studio from Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.
Photograph by Jim Hagopian/HBO
The Best Music Documentaries on Every Streaming Platform Explore groundbreaking music documentaries streaming across Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. From intimate artist portraits to legendary concert films, discover the stories behind your favorite artists and iconic moments.
Latest
Promo photo for Antonio S nchezs 2022 album, SHIFT.
Image courtesy of the artist
Antonio S nchez, B la Fleck, and Edmar Casta eda Push Boundaries on BEATrio The trio's debut album drops May 16, but you can hear the first single, Archipelago, now.
Sean Jones
Image courtesy of the artist
Berklee to Host Annual Jazz Composition Festival Performances will feature modern jazz masters Sean Jones, Ayn Inserto, Miguel Zen n BM '98, and Christine Jensen.
Matanzas Sound Map on display at Tate Modern
Tate / Reece Straw
Neil Leonard's Matanzas Sound Map Turns Sound into Place at Tate Modern The Berklee professor's immersive installation transports visitors to Matanzas, Cuba, through layered sound, video, and sculpture.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
North America Stories
20/12/2025
Atomos announced the immediate availability of a new firmware update for its Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX monitor-recorders, unlocking ProRes RAW recording from the...
20/12/2025
CJP Broadcast has completed the digitisation of the European Gymnastics tape archive, converting 328 tapes containing more than forty years of recorded material...
20/12/2025
Bitmovin, the leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced the launch of the Stream Lab MCP Server, to give AI agents and large language model...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
20/12/2025
Barack Obama Includes Laufey on His 2025 Favorite Music List The former presidents roundup of books, music, and movies includes a song from the Berklee alums ...
20/12/2025
Study reveals a key hormonal circuit in the kidneys Scripps Research scientists identify the protein that helps kidney cells regulate renin, providing foundatio...
19/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Diversified's Jared Timmins on AI for Broadcast Sports and Cre...
19/12/2025
2025 SVG Summit Audio Recap: Say What?The Audio Production and Distribution Workshop at the SVG Summit 20 took on issues including speech intelligibility, Next-...
19/12/2025
Gamified fun: Channel 5 on its NFL Big Game Night ambitions with Hungry Bear Med...
19/12/2025
College Football Playoff Preview: For ESPN, Round 1 is a Fantastic Yet Familia...
19/12/2025
AWS's Jason Dvorkin on Developing Partnerships With the NBA and PGA Tour, Em...
19/12/2025
Netflix Kicks Off Packed Sports Week with Paul-Joshua Fight Before Shifting to N...
19/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Nareev Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
19/12/2025
Mounted to the pylon of an AH-1Z Viper helicopter, a Red Wolf vehicle successful...
19/12/2025
L3Harris technology for the SDA Tranche 3 Tracking Layer program will provide in...
19/12/2025
Partnership brings Nielsen ONE measurement activation directly into XR's adv...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Berklee Announces Spring 2026 Signature Series This season's highlights include the Gospel Extravaganza, the 40th International Folk Festival, special gue...
19/12/2025
Performing arts centres across the globe have doubled down on live production infrastructure in recent years. For venues like the Queensland Performing Arts Cen...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
19/12/2025
Ricardo Coke-Thomas Named Chair of Theater for Boston Conservatory at Berklee The distinguished theater educator, director, and performer will join the Conser...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Salvador Arrives to Netflix on February 6
Entertainment
19 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT ...
19/12/2025
As the year comes to a close, it's the perfect time to give your WO Automation for Radio system a quick tune up. At the top of your year end checklist is on...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Salvador arrives to Netflix on February 6
Entertainment
19 December 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT ...
19/12/2025
Back to All News
Last Samurai Standing' Renewed for Season 2 - A Global Se...
19/12/2025
Nanoparticle vaccine strategy could protect against Ebola and other deadly filoviruses Scripps Research scientists turn nanoparticles into virus showcases to ...
18/12/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Kurt Sutton, Director of Broadcast Operations, Clemson ...
18/12/2025
Follow the Money Episode 2: Inside the Sports Media Biz with Sam McCleery and St...
18/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Google Cloud's Anshul Kapoor on the Future of Generative Prod...
18/12/2025
The 2025 SVG Summit Draws Record Crowd for 20th-Annual Sports-Production Industr...
18/12/2025
During November, streaming's share of TV viewing in Mexico settled at 24.2%, an increase of 0.5 share points from the previous month.
Disclaimer: YUMI TV,...
18/12/2025
November continued the upward trend in television viewership. The significantly colder weather and a rich programming lineup encouraged viewers to spend more ti...
18/12/2025
As viewers turn to sports highlights, recaps and documentary programming, expand...
18/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
18/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
18/12/2025
The HELM, a global expert in cinematic live broadcast and high-end production workflows, has entered a strategic partnership with ARRI, the renowned designer an...
18/12/2025
Cadena Melod a de Colombia (Cadena Melod a), a long-established Colombian radio network, has chosen DHD audio SX2 production consoles for integration into the m...
18/12/2025
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that Czech Television (Czech TV), the public broadcaster of the Czech Republic, has teamed up with Harmonic to modernize...
18/12/2025
Broadcast Solutions Group, a leading system integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast and media industry, has announced the acquisition ...