Berklee group gives musicians with disabilities space to grow
April 11, 2025
Julia LaGrand was in high school when an orchestra played in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Among the musicians was violinist Adrian Anantawan. Anantawan was born without his right hand. He plays the violin with help from an adaptive tool that allows him to hold the instrument’s bow.
LaGrand said listening to Anantawan play made an impact on her. Like Anantawan, LaGrand has a disability. She was born blind.
“It was very cool to kind of actually see a disabled musician really centering that in their career,” LaGrand said.
LaGrand would get a chance to play violin with Anantawan a few years later in the Berklee Music Inclusion Ensemble, a group he co-founded three years ago. Most of the musicians who play with the ensemble have a disability.
The group will play to their biggest crowd yet Saturday at the Berklee Performance Center.
“Our differences due to our disabilities are not a deficit, but actually the very reason why we’re able to create unique music,” Anantawan said. “It’s getting to something that feels universal for all of us.
A world-renowned musician, Anantawan said he was lucky to have supportive musicians in his life, but thinks a group like the Inclusion Ensemble would’ve made a difference for him.
“It took a lot of soul searching for myself as I progressed later on in my career to be able to have the courage to be able to center my small hand, as I call it, rather than really ignoring it and saying that I was worthy of being within the profession despite my disability,” Anantawan said.
Rhoda Bernard, managing director of The Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education, which is putting on Saturday’s program, said concertgoers should leave this weekend’s performance with the knowledge that music belongs to everyone.
“When you’re non-disabled, you see a whole world of people just like you doing things,” Bernard said. “But when you have a disability, you don’t. And you don’t feel welcome and you don’t feel that you are a legitimate musician.”
Freshman Julia LaGrand said there aren’t many places in the music world where disabled musicians can play together.
“It feels sort of liberating to feel like I can sort of approach the music that I do and know that everyone else is also approaching the music in a different way,” LaGrand said, adding that it’s a break from the standardization usually emphasized in classical music instruction.
“There’s something so core to the emotion and the contour that can be expressed through music,” LaGrand said. “It transcends all sorts of barriers.”
Senior Connor Valcy is on the autism spectrum. He said playing viola has given him a way to express himself.
”As a child and growing up, I’ve always had trouble with communicating,” Valcy said. “I’ve always had different ways and different skills to help me communicate with others, but by far music has definitely been the best tool for me.”
Valcy said he’s learned a lot of life lessons from his fellow musicians, which he hopes to take with him when he graduates.
“ As a community, we don’t always get along, but when we have a common goal specifically, each of us will thrive in our own way,” Valcy said. “And I think that’s exactly what happens when you play with that ensemble.”
Valcy wrote a song that the ensemble will play on Saturday called ‘The Smallest Intent.’ He’s also arranged other songs for the group, including his version of ‘Symphony’ by Clean Bandit. Anantawan and Valcy called the song the group’s anthem.
“Because it’s all about energy [and] determination to be able to overcome all odds and, and celebrate joy,” Anantawan said.
The Music Inclusion Ensemble performs at the Berklee Performance Center at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.