The charity, based at the Media Centre in Northumberland Street, was set up in 1988 by deaf musician Dr Paul Whittaker. The Deaf Youth Orchestra aims to help deaf people enjoy, rather than be excluded, from music.
 
Fifty young deaf musicians will go to weekly music lessons, with a concert planned for June 2008.
 
The group’s administrator, Sue Rosborough, said: "There isn’t anything like it anywhere else in the country. It is a marvellous asset for Kirklees. The orchestra has built what was a group of young learner deaf Instrumentalists who could barely read music into a full orchestra, with their own conductor and a composition written specially for them.”

For more information visit the project web page. (external link, opens new browser window)