Clare Johnston

Location: Edinburgh

Challenge: Stamina, mobility, hearing

Website: clarejohnstonmusic.musicteachershelper.com

Clare Johnston is a disabled-identifying composer, performer and music technologist. She grew up in the Abled youth music sector playing viola and recorder, but faced access barriers accessing the next level of music education. After a few career changes along the way, in 2009 Clare returned to her first love of music and music education.

It is during her work with Drake Music Scotland that she started to experiment with music technology and fall in love with the possibilities offered by iPad apps to create good quality performances with a distinctly Disabled voice. Clare's compositions include Solo a Trois for solo iPad in 3 voices, Bouncing harps for digital and Acoustic Harp duet and Contemplation and Review composed for a distant MIDI ensemble of iPad, Akai EWI, MIDI violin, synthesizer and MiMu musical gloves.

Clare feels it is important for digital instruments to have their own unique voice and compositions which have been designed for their characteristics, and compositions often explore the differences and similarities with acoustic instruments and play to the strengths of each instrument.

Clare also has an interest in Eye Gaze controlled music, as her condition means she is from time to time an Eye Gaze user herself.

iPad Quartet featuring Clare Johnston - "Confugued"