Participating in the Laidlaw Scholarship has fundamentally reshaped how I understand leadership, research, and my responsibilities as a global citizen. Through both my research on disabled child choristers and my Leadership in Action project with the Association of British Choral Directors, I have explored questions of access, participation, and belonging within musical communities. Although these projects took very different forms, one academic and one practical, they ultimately addressed the same question: how can musical spaces become more inclusive for disabled musicians?

My research project examined the experiences of disabled child choristers within cathedral choir traditions. As I engaged with participants and the literature surrounding disability and music education, I became increasingly aware of how structural assumptions shape who is able to participate in these environments. Many barriers faced by disabled musicians are not simply physical but cultural: expectations about rehearsal pace, communication styles, and ideas of musical “excellence” can unintentionally exclude those whose needs do not fit established norms. Conducting this research encouraged me to think critically about systems rather than individuals, and about the role that research can play in challenging long-standing practices.

However, the Leadership in Action component of the scholarship allowed me to move beyond analysis and engage directly with change in practice. Working with the Association of British Choral Directors, I helped develop workshops and resources designed to support choir leaders in improving accessibility within their ensembles. Where my research explored the barriers disabled musicians experience, the LiA project focused on equipping leaders with practical tools to address those barriers in their own communities.

Experiencing both sides of this process, research and applied leadership, was particularly powerful. Research helped me understand the structural nature of exclusion, while the LiA project demonstrated how change often occurs through practical, incremental actions. Conversations about accessibility can sometimes feel abstract or overwhelming, yet when framed through achievable steps, they become something that individuals and organisations feel empowered to implement. This reinforced an important lesson about ethical leadership: meaningful change often emerges through enabling others to act rather than attempting to impose solutions from above.

Throughout the scholarship, I also developed a stronger understanding of leadership as a collaborative process. Both projects required working with individuals whose expertise and perspectives differed from my own. Learning to contribute confidently while remaining open to challenge was an important part of this experience. In particular, discussions about disability frequently involve differing interpretations of frameworks such as the medical and social models of disability. Navigating these conversations productively required careful listening, thoughtful communication, and a willingness to reconsider my own assumptions.

Another important aspect of my development during the scholarship was learning to advocate for accessibility within professional environments. As a disabled student working within new organisational and research contexts, I became more confident in articulating my needs and explaining why inclusive practices benefit not only individuals but communities as a whole. This experience reinforced my belief that accessibility should not be treated as an optional accommodation, but as a fundamental principle of equitable participation.

Together, these experiences have strengthened my understanding of global citizenship. Cultural participation is a vital part of community life (indeed, work is currently being done to recognise cathedral choral music as a living cultural heritage in the UK), yet access to these spaces remains uneven across many societies. Addressing these disparities requires leaders who are willing to question inherited structures and work collaboratively to create more inclusive environments. Whether through research that highlights overlooked experiences or practical initiatives that equip others to implement change, leadership within the arts can contribute meaningfully to broader conversations about equity and participation.

Reflecting on the Laidlaw Scholarship as a whole, the most valuable lesson I will carry forward is that leadership is rarely about individual authority. Instead, it is about responsibility: recognising barriers that others may overlook, listening carefully to the experiences of those affected by them, and working persistently to create conditions in which more people are able to participate fully. As I move forward in my academic and professional journey, I hope to continue building on this work, combining research, advocacy, and collaboration to help create musical spaces where accessibility and inclusion are not exceptional efforts, but embedded values.