Workshops

Baluji believes that participating in music-making can transform lives. Our workshops are for people who want to play music and also for those who like to be around music-making. Our aim is for people to have a good time in a musical environment.

We offer workshops in schools, hospitals, care homes, day care centres, and a variety of community settings. These workshops offer a practical introduction to inclusive, multicultural music-making through the lived experience of blind and partially sighted professional musicians. Led entirely by members of the Inner Vision Orchestra, each session combines live performance with interactive participation, including clapping, singing, and rhythm-based activities.

The workshops focus on collaborative music-making, accessibility in the arts, and the importance of creating professional opportunities for disabled musicians.

Participants engage directly with the musicians in an informal and accessible environment, exploring how music can be experienced and created through listening, rhythm, and teamwork rather than sight. Sessions are designed to foster inclusion, empathy, and a greater understanding of barriers within the music and cultural sectors.

Overview:

Sessions are usually delivered in duo or trio format, with larger ensembles available depending on budget.
We offer a variety of ensembles, including:
- Classical/folk string trio
- Piano duo (four hands)
- Persian trio
- South Asian trio
- Traditional Indian music duo
Baluji Shrivastav OBE can also act as musical director when not performing.
All workshops are tailored to the needs, abilities and level of participants.
Fully adaptable for children, young people, and adults.
Group sizes: 5–30 participants.
Session length: approximately 45–60 minutes.
Interactive sessions may include clapping, singing, and collaborative music-making.
Sessions can be delivered as:
- Interactive workshops
- Performances/concerts
- A combination of both depending on your programme or community needs.

The opportunity for Henshaw’s visually impaired young people and adults to take part in the Inner Vision Workshop was very rewarding. It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to meet Baluji and Linda. We enjoyed the sessions so much, we are looking forward to welcoming them for future workshops in the Greater Manchester area, so that more of our Henshaw's services users will be able to take part.

Adi Latif (Inner Vision Orchestra musician)

Performing at the Memory Café for the Age UK community was such a beautiful experience. The organisers couldn't have been more welcoming and made us feel right at home. The audience were everything we could have hoped for—so engaged throughout—and it was wonderful to share stories behind the music and see how our programme sparked memories and emotions. After the performance, people asked such thoughtful questions, and several came up to tell us how much they had enjoyed the afternoon. It was a genuinely moving experience, and one I'll remember for a long time.

Takashi Kikuchi (Inner Vision Orchestra musician)

We were greatly energised by the audience at the Memory Café telling their stories and feelings. We were honoured to have the opportunity to thank our elders through music.