The Austrian band, No Problem Orchestra, is comprised of musicians with physical and mental disabilities. They are scheduled to perform at two royal wedding celebrations in 2011—Prince William and Kate Middleton in April and Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock in July. The eight members of the band are mentally disabled; most have Down syndrome or are developmentally delayed. Since 1985, they’ve been entertaining audiences throughout the world with a range of music, including jazz, rock, classic and Austrian traditional folk. Interestingly, the weddings will not be their first high-profile events. They performed at a private concert for Queen Elizabeth II in Britain, the 2007 Special Olympics in Austria and the Montreal Jazz Festival. In fact, they have booked over 5,000 gigs since their inception.
No Problem Orchestra makes it possible for musicians to communicate their musical talents through integrative music therapy. To learn more about the No Problem Music Therapy Center, visit http://www.noproblem-orchestra.at/.
