For Rosemary Johnson, a talented violinist with the Welsh National Orchestra, her entire life changed when she was in a horrific car accident in 1988.
The terrible moment left her in a coma for seven months, and even after she woke up, she suffered severe repercussions of a head injury that left her unable to speak or move, rendering her unable to play her beloved instrument for the rest of her life. While the impact has changed the course of her life forever,
While the impact has changed the course of her life forever, new technology has brought a new opportunity that will help her create music once again. Plymouth University and the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability have teamed up together to create the Brain Computer Music Interfacing software, which can read Johnson’s mind to compose and bring her music to life.
Through the scientific program, she was able to play music again for the first time in years this past July with a full orchestra at a central London venue led with her best friend Alison Balfour; they last played together as part of the Welsh National Opera Orchestra.
“The idea with playing with Rosie again after so many years was something I never imagined would be possible,” says Balfour to The Telegraph in an interview, who now performs with the Bath Philharmonia.
“I felt honoured to be doing this with her, to be her sound, her music, her violin and to have her next to me again was wonderful, really wonderful,” she continued. “Music has an extraordinary power to move people. It can give them a voice, it can give them a chance to express themselves. It can be a release of emotion and a connection with other people.”
The software works by having Johnson focus on different colored lights, which helps her control which notes get presented onto the screen that musicians can read from. Depending on her intensity, she can control the speed and volume of the track as well.
The leader of the scientific project, Professor Eduardo Miranda of the University of Plymouth explained further to The Telegraph how the program worked and how he felt seeing it all come to life-
“The system is reading Rosie’s brainwaves. It took twenty years. It would not have been achieved if I did not have the chance to work with Rosie. We were all in tears. We could feel the joy coming from her at being able to make music.”
He continued to say, “That moment was magical. I cannot describe it. It was a dream I had and a dream that seemed impossible.”
Johnson will continue to be celebrated, as she will earn an MBE this year for all of her work in music. The team will continue to expand their technology to hopefully reach more people like Johnson, and help them express themselves through music.
Watch the full short film created in conjunction with this technological project, which showcases the music she has composed below, performed by a small orchestra.
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