In this blog, Simba Ngwarati, Percussianist with the CityLits Orchestra, shares how music helps him tell stories, express his feelings and connect with others. He also reflects on this year’s Learning Disability Week theme, Do You See Me?, and explains why it is important for people with learning disabilities to be able to explore their talents and have their voices heard.

My name is Simba, I grew up in Zimbabwe and I moved to the UK in 2007.

For me, I grew up listening to reggae music early in life as my mum used to play it a lot, and that’s how my love for music started.

I wrote a song called ‘Harare’, which is where I went to school in Zimbabwe, it’s the capital city.

I wanted to talk about where I grew up, about the food, the colours, the people and being friendly.

I found Citylit in 2017, after going to South Thames College, and studied Hidden Sounds and Soundscapes, which is electronic music.

When I listen to sounds outside I feel the vibrations, mostly in the park, like bird songs, and even when the tube train comes in the tunnel, it’s the way I get ideas for music, it comes to me naturally.

Just after Covid in 2022 I joined Percussion Orchestra at Citylit, where I compose music for the orchestra and perform in concerts.

I was so happy to play with the most famous percussionist in this country, Dame Evelyn Glennie. She also gave me an award for Outstanding student at Citylit in 2024.

Recently, we shared the stage on a project called Listen Up, about how we hear sounds – from loud sounds to tiny, small sounds.

 I was happy to experience it with my mum who was in the audience.

Music is a way to communicate feelings to others, sometimes with words and sometimes without.

It keeps me calm inside and it’s about stories which people might relate to and connect with.

Music is about believing in yourself and telling your own story. I want to inspire people to make their own music and tell their story.

The theme for learning disability week this year ‘Do You See Me?’ is important to me because music, drama, painting, photographs, videos and poetry are a way for people to have their say and express themselves.

I see many talents from other students in each subject in college, some people are talented in drawing, some taking photographs and some are absolutely brilliant when they play their instruments.

You see passion and achievement, and people taking the opportunity to come to college and meet the teachers who guide them to explore their talent and be able to give back to the community.

I would like to see people coming forward and sharing the ways they are being seen and heard also to keep working together and discussing matters facing people with learning disabilities.

It would be amazing to see more people with learning disabilities as leaders in the future and I’m excited to see what happens in the next few years.