The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy

The “Inclusive Orchestra” project (I-Ork) examines the issues concerning inclusive music making and therapy from a multidisciplinary perspective, involving music technology, human-computer interaction, customized music instrument design, music therapy practices, community music making, music educati...

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Main Authors: Marcella Mandanici, Giuseppe Bergamino, Sara Valente
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1552302/full
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author Marcella Mandanici
Giuseppe Bergamino
Sara Valente
author_facet Marcella Mandanici
Giuseppe Bergamino
Sara Valente
author_sort Marcella Mandanici
collection DOAJ
description The “Inclusive Orchestra” project (I-Ork) examines the issues concerning inclusive music making and therapy from a multidisciplinary perspective, involving music technology, human-computer interaction, customized music instrument design, music therapy practices, community music making, music education and musical creativity. The core objective is to foster the creation of performance groups composed of individuals with diverse abilities, including those with physical and/or cognitive impairments, as well as participants with no formal musical background. The research team iteratively designed several digital musical instruments and performance setups, tested during sessions involving individuals with various disabilities. A specific observational protocol based on the Individualized Music Therapy Assessment Profile (IMTAP) was developed and applied to validate the effectiveness of the study. This protocol allowed for a structured assessment of participants' behavior across functional, emotional, and musical domains. Preliminary results indicate that the digital instruments promote high levels of participation, elicit positive emotional responses, stimulate curiosity, and support exploratory behavior. The findings suggest that technology-enhanced musical tools can play a significant role in inclusive music practices by enhancing accessibility, engagement, and emotional expression. The IMTAP-based evaluations provided valuable insights into how different instruments align with users' needs, supporting further refinement of both the tools and intervention strategies.
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series Frontiers in Education
spelling doaj-art-1d17bfc016f34f3e8e1640362c4eaa462025-08-20T01:50:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2025-05-011010.3389/feduc.2025.15523021552302The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapyMarcella Mandanici0Giuseppe Bergamino1Sara Valente2Music Conservatory “Luca Marenzio”, Department of Music Education, Brescia, ItalyUNIVPM Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, ItalyTeAch Music, Association for Digital Music Education, Brescia, ItalyThe “Inclusive Orchestra” project (I-Ork) examines the issues concerning inclusive music making and therapy from a multidisciplinary perspective, involving music technology, human-computer interaction, customized music instrument design, music therapy practices, community music making, music education and musical creativity. The core objective is to foster the creation of performance groups composed of individuals with diverse abilities, including those with physical and/or cognitive impairments, as well as participants with no formal musical background. The research team iteratively designed several digital musical instruments and performance setups, tested during sessions involving individuals with various disabilities. A specific observational protocol based on the Individualized Music Therapy Assessment Profile (IMTAP) was developed and applied to validate the effectiveness of the study. This protocol allowed for a structured assessment of participants' behavior across functional, emotional, and musical domains. Preliminary results indicate that the digital instruments promote high levels of participation, elicit positive emotional responses, stimulate curiosity, and support exploratory behavior. The findings suggest that technology-enhanced musical tools can play a significant role in inclusive music practices by enhancing accessibility, engagement, and emotional expression. The IMTAP-based evaluations provided valuable insights into how different instruments align with users' needs, supporting further refinement of both the tools and intervention strategies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1552302/fullaccessible digital music instruments (ADMIs)music technology applicationsmusic therapyinclusive music makingIMTAP protocol
spellingShingle Marcella Mandanici
Giuseppe Bergamino
Sara Valente
The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
Frontiers in Education
accessible digital music instruments (ADMIs)
music technology applications
music therapy
inclusive music making
IMTAP protocol
title The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
title_full The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
title_fullStr The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
title_full_unstemmed The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
title_short The I-Ork project: a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
title_sort i ork project a technological approach to inclusive music making and therapy
topic accessible digital music instruments (ADMIs)
music technology applications
music therapy
inclusive music making
IMTAP protocol
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2025.1552302/full
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