Ball State Music Student Researches Way for People With Physical Disabilities to Conduct Music

Ethan Atterson views music as a beautiful conduit for human connections. And conducting an orchestral ensemble … well, that's magical, Mr. Atterson said.

But that magic could've eluded him if he focused solely on what he can't do instead of what he can do. Mr. Atterson has limited arm mobility, caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, making it a challenge for him to use a baton as a music conductor.

Challenging? Maybe. But not impossible. With some help, Mr. Atterson devised a way to conduct music using assistive technology and a few adaptations. He is doing the research and development needed to refine this technique and approach.

Eventually, he hopes this assistance and adaptations will be widely known and accessible so others with varying physical abilities can experience the "magic" of conducting. Research on disability inclusion in music with adaptive and assistive tech is the topic of Mr. Atterson's master's program project at the School of Music in Ball State University's College of Fine Arts. He is pursuing his Master of Arts degree with a focus on music.

"Disabled people exist in the classical music industry. We deserve to be able to have equal opportunities in that industry, and we deserve to have the chance to prove ourselves as leaders," Mr. Atterson said. "And by researching new methods and accommodations, I feel that chance can be made available.

"It's not just about me and my professors. It's about how this will affect other people in this field and those coming into it," he added.

Broadening Access to Music

Dr. Jon Truitt, associate director for academic affairs in the School of Music, agrees. He is also Mr. Atterson's graduate advisor.

"Expanding the world of music and access to music to as many people as possible speaks more to our mission at the School of Music and Ball State," Dr. Truitt said. "This technology Ethan is seeking to develop will allow him and other people facing similar challenges to express themselves in a musical setting in a way not possible before-and enable them to lead other performers in a piece of music.

"Not only has he succeeded as an undergraduate student, he's a successful master's student doing this really great project. This shows how being open to people and opportunities that may be different from what we've experienced can yield really great things," Dr. Truitt added.

Having earned his Bachelor of Science degree in music at Ball State in 2023, Mr. Atterson started his second year of his master's program during the 2024-25 Fall semester. As word of his master's project research spreads, new opportunities become available to him-including an invitation to conduct music with the Indiana University School of Medicine's orchestral ensemble at its Spring 2025 concert. Mr. Atterson has accepted that invitation.

His Work That Helps Others

With his baton fastened to his eyeglasses and a computer set-up that allows the musicians to be guided by flashes of lights on a screen, Mr. Atterson conducts. The light bursts are a computer application's visualizations of his motions made by his thumb on the computer's touchpad. Mr. Atterson's friend, Benjamin Shrock, who's in the medical field, helped him develop the computer app.

The baton and the flashes of light on the screen communicate musical direction regarding timekeeping, tempo, and gesture or expressiveness, just as a conductor with more arm mobility would. This assistive technology and techniques-which may be further developed-are similar to those involved in a study done in the United Kingdom by a researcher who has cerebral palsy.

At the heart of Mr. Atterson's master's project are the positive ways music impacts humans.

"What I think is most valuable about music is how it is an opportunity to connect with other people, especially in today's society. We're all on our phones, in our little worlds, nearly all the time," Mr. Atterson said. "Music reminds people that, even during tough times they might be facing, there is something worth living for."

His passion for music dates back to his days of playing the trumpet in his middle school's band in New Castle, Ind. Like many middle-school and high-school musicians around Indiana, Mr. Atterson attended Ball State's band camp. During his undergraduate years at Ball State, Mr. Atterson was a member of the University's band.

"Music has allowed me to have some of the best experiences in my life, and meet and connect with people I would not have met if I were not involved in music," he said. "Some of those people are my best friends."

Valued, Supported at Ball State

Feeling supported by and included within one's community can be powerful. Ethan Atterson said he gets that at Ball State. Faculty, staff, and Mr. Atterson's peers support him in his academic pursuits and personal life.

"Ball State, overall, has provided me with top-notch faculty that has allowed me to access very helpful and insightful resources," he said. "And the University has an inclusive environment that promotes a diverse ecosystem of people and promotes equity on campus."

"I'm allowed opportunities to do research and to have appropriate accommodations. The School of Music, in particular, has been really good with that stuff and very understanding of the things I need," Mr. Atterson added. "Ball State does a good job of holding up its principle of beneficence, and I am happy to be a Cardinal because of that."

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