See the Music: Deafness, Music and Access

This session will be delivered by Paul Whittaker OBE, who has has spent his life encouraging Deaf people to make music and worked with many organisations to help enable this.

In this session Paul will talk about some of his own experiences, demonstrate some activities he uses (including some songs in BSL) and why access is so important not just for Deaf people but everyone.

Outcomes

By the end of this session, delegates will:

1. Have enhanced their knowledge of deafness and Deaf awareness
2. Use and develop a better understanding of British Sign Language (BSL)
3. Gained ideas for how to provide better access and integration for sessions that you design and deliver.

Registration

To sign up and reserve your place, use the CPD sign-up sheet.

Strategic Links

LTSE 2026

2.0 Education for all. We provide an inclusive and transformative experience creating opportunities for success for students from any background.
2.1 Our learning, teaching and assessment practices will be inclusive by design

Inclusive Higher Education Framework

Professional Standards Framework

Speaker biography

Born in Huddersfield in 1964, Paul has been profoundly deaf all his life yet pursued a career as a Musician. A Pianist and Organist, he has a music degree from Wadham College, Oxford, a postgraduate performance diploma from the RNCM and holds ALCM and ARCO diplomas.

In 1988 he founded “Music and the Deaf”, a charity to help deaf people enjoy music, which he ran for 27 years. In 1992, Paul began giving signed theatre performances, working on shows such as Les Miserables, Cats, Phantom Of The Opera, West Side Story, Carousel, My Fair Lady, and many more. He has also signed for The Sixteen Choir, Rambert Dance Company, Opera North, and at the Edinburgh International and Aldeburgh Festivals. In 2007, he was awarded an OBE for Services to Music and also holds Honorary degrees from the University of Huddersfield and the Open University.

Paul is passionate about signed song and in 2017, he set up SiBSL – Songs in British Sign Language – a website dedicated to raising standards and awareness of the art form. In addition, Paul adjudicates signed song classes at musical festivals around the UK and at the National Signing Choir Competition. He also runs 4 signing choirs in the North of England.

Registration

To sign up and reserve your place, use the CPD sign-up sheet.