Emma Brown: Navigating Music and Disability as a Young Artist

Flautist Emma Brown is a Musicians’ Company 2023 Silver Medal award winner – an award given to exceptional conservatoire students. A gifted musician whose journey took a profound turn after an accident led her to becoming a double leg, below the knee amputee, Emma now combines performing with advocating music for disabled people. Here she tells the Company a bit about navigating music and disability as a YA.

What’s new since winning the Silver Medal?
Well, the most significant event has to be graduating from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a Master’s in flute performance and starting my PhD. While I still love playing flute, my accident has made me very aware of how inaccessible a lot of the music world is for disabled people. My PhD in ‘Disability and Access in Conservatoire Education’ focuses on improving inclusivity in music education and creating opportunities for disabled students to thrive in conservatoires.

Are you finding the opportunity to perform?
Yes, over the summer I did some music outreach playing requests on hospital wards and waiting rooms for Air Arts. It’s something I would’ve loved when I was in hospital. I also play in a couple of amateur orchestras as well as Joe Broughton’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble.

Is performing with limb loss challenging?
Orchestral playing can be particularly challenging for disabled musicians. Big concert venues often cater to the audience’s accessibility needs but they can overlook the performers. Simple things like squeezing past other musicians or climbing steps to reach your seat can be tough. I’ve had to crawl to my seat at a few venues, which is far from ideal. I’d like to see a shift in attitude towards musician accessibility.

Tell us about the charities you support.
I’m a trustee for the OHMI (One Handed Musical Instruments) Trust. We enable those with physical disabilities actively participate in music making through adapted instruments and enabling apparatus. It’s something I needed when I recently fractured my right hand, which laughably took me down to one functioning limb! Being able to use a one-handed flute meant I could keep playing while my hand healed.

What other advocacy roles do you play?
When I was learning to walk at the prosthetic centre there were lots of leaflets on disability sports. People kept saying I could train as a Paralympian to which I always replied: “I was never sporty with feet so I’m not going to be sporty now!” The lack of groups for musicians with limb disabilities led me to set up Amputee Musicians UK. I also share my experiences through public speaking and @thefootlessflautist on Instagram.

“I was never sporty with feet so I’m not going to be sporty now!”

What changes would you like to see?
I’d love to see more representation of disabled people in music. While people often reference Stevie Wonder or Dame Evelyn Glennie, that’s not enough. When I first became disabled, I searched for performers who looked like me and found very few. You need that representation to inspire and show what’s possible. We also need to make it easier for children with a disability to access music and to continue their musical journey without barriers. I’m hoping with the right support and opportunities we’ll see more disabled musicians achieve incredible things.

Any upcoming concerts you’re looking forward to?
I have an upcoming gig in collaboration with the Orchestra of the Swan called The Long Road. The performance will blend music with the narration of six deeply personal stories, including mine. It’s a different way of performing that I’m really looking forward to. Plus, I’ll also potentially play a bit of flute!

You can follow Emma @thefootlessflautist on Instagram

Interview: Suzy Willmott