To mark Learning Disability Week (June 16-22), UK charity Music in Hospitals & Care is highlighting the impact of live music for young people in Carmarthenshire.

Carmarthen Breakthro’ is a charity supporting children aged 4-18 with physical and learning disabilities in Carmarthenshire.

Since 2023, professional musicians from Music in Hospitals & Care have been sharing live music at Carmarthen Breakthro’, creating inclusive, engaging experiences that support communication, confidence and wellbeing for children and young people.

“We support a wide variety of children with different needs, some are verbal, some are non verbal.” says Emyr Baynon, Carmarthen Breakthro’ Coordinator. “The live music offers the children an opportunity to get involved and have lots of fun.”

One of the familiar faces at the centre is Music in Hospitals & Care musician Chris Knibbs, a retired primary school teacher. He explains how he adapts each session to suit the group’s energy: “For a young group like this, we increase the speed of the music. They’ve got loads of energy and they want to use it. I usually take the instrument up, not playing it, so that they can touch it and then move it a little bit. They can feel the vibrations and they're in control.”

Every live music experience is thoughtfully tailored to the children’s health and emotional wellbeing. Musician Holly Robinson, a fiddle player with Music in Hospitals & Care, highlights how even the choice of instrument and style is considered with care.

“We think carefully about the music we're going to bring, and make sure we've got a mix of lively stuff, but also some gentler stuff.” says Holly. “We may do some things that are familiar, possibly do some Welsh tunes that they've learned in school. We also think about the instruments that we're bringing. If we're bringing percussion instruments, we can offer soft beaters just to bring the volume down a bit.”

Music in Hospitals & Care carefully selects musicians who are not only confident performers but also skilled in using various tools and techniques to engage with young people with a range of additional needs, including sensory issues.

Emyr adds: “I think the work that Music in Hospitals & Care does is phenomenal. Chris and Holly really do appreciate the needs of the children. If somebody isn't particularly interested or keen in participating but is enjoying the music and just sitting back to enjoy that, they leave them.”

Chloe Baker, Music in Hospitals & Care’s Live Music Coordinator in Wales explains: “What really stands out to me is the beautiful connection between the children and the staff - the trust, the laughter, the way they share each moment. Music fits so naturally into that environment.

“You can see how the children light up with the music, engaging in their own way, whether it’s through dancing, clapping, or simply soaking in the atmosphere. Live music helps create a shared space where everyone is included and valued, which is exactly what Breakthro’ is all about.

“Our musicians have been amazing at adapting their approach; sharing their instruments, inviting the children into the music at their own pace, and using sensory elements to make it fully accessible and engaging. It's been a privilege to help coordinate these sessions and to hear from staff and musicians just how meaningful they’ve been.”

For many of the children at Carmarthen Breakthro’, these sessions are their first experience of live music in a care setting. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, tapping along, or simply listening, music opens up new ways to connect and communicate.