The four musicians of the HeadSpace Ensemble first got together in 2005 as a result of the St Magnus Festival's commission for a piece of music by John Kenny. John's piece was to include the ground-breaking new The Headspace instrument, created by Rolf Gehlhaar in conjunction with Carnyx & Co, specifically designed to be played by the tetraplegic musician Clarence Adoo. The wide range of instruments and sounds available within the group, as well as the musicians' exceptionally broad musical and theatrical experience, opened up a whole new set of musical opportunities and thus inspired the creation of the HeadSpace Ensemble.

BBC TV spent three days in February 2006, filming the headSpace Ensemble's rehearsals and subsequent performance at The Sage Gateshead. The resulting documentary was broadcast later that month.

''...a truly moving and inspirational occasion.''  ''But what really matters is where Clarence and, indeed, the music profession as a whole can take this ground-breaking project now and in years to come.''
Ian Ritchie, Director, City of London Festival

''...Only the most inventive composers, performers, venues, and instruments will survive. Their ideas may be uncomfortably different from ours, but they are the ones who will keep brass music moving and alive. One brilliant new transformation...represents a pioneering effort of performance, composition and instrument making, presided over by Clarence Adoo...Rehearsing with him a few weeks ago in the RSAMD was humbling and inspiring in equal measure. More than anything, it gave me a sense that our instrument is being passed down into so many different and brilliant sets of hands....''
''...An indomitable spirit, a hunger to perform and the innovative contributions of composer John Kenny and instrument designer Rolf Gelhar are bringing him to the stage again, with probably the most versatile and far-reaching instrument ever designed for a disabled performer...''
''...Using Headspace, Clarence moves virtuosically through a vast repertoire of sounds: trumpets, pianos, thunder and waves. He creates an electrifying performance space; fantastic new possibilities for the instrument, for the music...''
John Wallace OBE, prinicpal of RSAMD

This counter was created October 2006.