An ensemble of disabled harmonica players from South Korea and a local pianist are to perform in Kingston-upon-Thames next week to fight against disability stigma

The Joyful Harmonica Ensemble and the local pianist Yoon Seok Shin will be performing at All Saints Church in Kingston on Monday, January 14 at 7pm.

Founded in 2009, the Joyful Harmonica Ensemble are a group of 9 disabled harmonica players, all studying at the Daegu Sungbo School of Special Education in South Korea.

Performing with the ensemble next week, Mr Shin is a pianist living in the UK who graduated from the Royal College of Music in the UK after moving to the UK in 1991.

Mr Shin is also currently working as a peripatetic piano teacher at the Holy Cross Catholic Secondary Girls’ School in New Malden.

The New Malden pianist and teacher said: "The Joyful Harmonica Ensemble is a school-based enterprise at the Daegu Sungbo School of Special Education, improving social awareness towards the disabled through its performances.

"By providing an environment in which the disabled can practice their artistic skills, the ensemble supports the disabled to take pride in them."

The concert will feature performances from a repertoire of classical, traditional, contemporary and international works, including Beethoven, Liszt, Simon and Garfunkel and John Lennon.