Ingrid Plum has had the opportunity to present her PhD work at recent events. These are NIME – New Instrument for Musical Expression as part of the student consortium, as well as the Neurodivergent Music Studies Conference. The abstract for the presented work follows:
This project investigates the intersection of disciplines between auraldiversity, participatory choral composition and emergent technologies. Within ensemble vocal singing, general inclusivity has limited benefits without specifically addressing the needs of neurodivergent singers. There is little research on the experience of neurodivergent singers in ensembles. Without agency, the neurodivergent singer may mask their experience: the communication, expression and authenticity of the neurodivergent performer becomes limited and they may even mask pain. In turn, this points to missed opportunities through lack of inclusivity, where unique contributions have not been facilitated to emerge. To create composition by/for neurodivergent performers, we must find new strategies for participatory composition, with more immediate collaboration. This paper explores approaches towards an inclusive methodology for collaborative composition with neurodivergent singers, specifically focusing on the incorporation of sensory soothing within performance environments to facilitate flow state. Technology offers a route for us to facilitate the contributions of neurodivergent singers and encourage a sense of agency through sensory soothing. By intersecting accessible design principles with research into the neurodivergent experience, I am developing a neurodivergent-inclusive design of sensory soothing accessible technology with the support of Drake Music, a leading charity in music, disability and technology. I am creating embodied sensory MIDI controllers which incorporate several aspects of sensory soothing: Rhythmic movement, auditory control and stimming (self-stimulatory behavior). An echo of the term neuroplasticity, (the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections in response to experience), ‘Auralplasticity’ is used here to identify the new participatory compositional strategies that can be formed to incorporate and organize the knowledge or experiences of neurodivergent performers.