Musicians With Disabilities: Seeking Applicants!
From the Top is looking for devoted young classical musicians who identify as Disabled and/or Neurodivergent, ages 14-21, to audition for a special episode featuring students with disabilities.
Along with recording for the nationally broadcast NPR radio show, participants will join their fellow musicians in From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab workshops exploring life as an artist, content creation, and the power of community engagement.
From the Top believes in the unique voice of each musician and places a special focus on telling their stories. We are excited to continue our work towards increasing the visibility of Disabled performers and spreading stories of Disability in action in our second dedicated broadcast since 2023. Listen to the first broadcast here!
If you identify as a Disabled and/or Neurodivergent classical musician between the ages of 14-21, please consider applying for our fellowship!
To apply for this specific opportunity, please email auditions@fromthetop.org. Please apply by November 15th!
If you are younger than 14 or are a student between the ages 21-24, please contact us at auditions@fromthetop.org to inquire.
Julia LaGrand, alum of From the Top.
I am very excited to collaborate again with From the Top to highlight young musicians who identify as disabled. I hope to promote young artists who lack sufficient representation in classical music, and From the Top is the perfect platform to help achieve this goal. Beyond performances by disabled individuals, the interview segments allow for the telling of broader stories of being a musician and person living with a disability in contemporary society. — Julia LaGrand
Julia LaGrand is a violinist and disability activist from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has soloed with orchestras including the Holland Symphony, Kent Philharmonic and Baroque on Beaver Festival Orchestra, and has played in masterclasses for violinists including Midori and Stefan Jackiw. In 2020, she won first prize at the Bella International Music Competition, and was a winner of the Kennedy Center’s 2024 International Young Musicians Competition. After appearing on From the Top in 2021, she later co-hosted and co-created an episode of this show featuring young disabled musicians, which was featured in the Boston Globe as one of the “10 Most Memorable Classical Music Moments of 2023.” Based in Boston, she attends Harvard University’s dual degree program with New England Conservatory, and performs with local ensembles and organizations including Shelter Music Boston and the Berklee Inclusion Ensemble. She currently studies with Miriam Fried.
