Linda Rodgers Emory named as Honorary Chair of Music for Autism Board of Directors

Pictured above are members of the Music for Autism Board of Directors at a dinner honoring Linda Rodgers Emory as Honorary Chair. Bottom Row L-R - Susan Hershman, Marcia Cantarella, Linda Rodgers Emory, Robert Accordino (US Founder), Anita Altman (UJA-Federation of New York). Second Row L-R - Fran Wills, Ita Ekpodium (Treasurer, Junior Board), Barbara Firestone. Third  Row L-R - Louise Pitt (Development Chair), Eileen Schneyman (Executive Director), Jamie Pagliaro (Board Chair), Cecelia McCarton

by Laura Lazar

Following her outstandingly generous gift of $150,000, Music for Autism is pleased to announce that Linda Rodgers Emory of the Richard and Dorothy Rodgers Fund of UJA-Federation has been unanimously named Honorary Chair of the Music for Autism Board of Directors. The first part of her donation inspired the inception of the Linda Rodgers Emory Concert Series, and the follow up gift allowed for its continuance through 2015 with expansion to Southern Brooklyn and Queens. Ms. Emory's support has also provided M4A the means to hire full-time Executive Director, Eileen Schneyman, an unprecedented boon for the future growth and expansion of the organization.

"Music for Autism is honored to have Linda Rodgers Emory as a dedicated partner advancing our mission," said Jamie Pagliaro, Chair of the Board. "She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to bringing high-quality musical experiences into the lives of individuals with autism and their families, and truly recognizes the importance of these events to our audience from a quality-of-life perspective. Her spark and energy have inspired all of us involved to broaden our vision for the future of Music for Autism."

Linda Rodgers Emory, Richard Rodgers' daughter, was made aware of Music for Autism by Anita Altman of the UJA-Federation. The concert series is named in her honor and has already included performances by Broadway's Jersey Boys, Keynotes "Duettists" Peggy Rich and Marvin Friedman, and the Children's Orchestra Faculty & Alumni Ensemble. As part of this series, a second concert with the Children's Orchestra Faculty & Alumni Ensemble is planned for Fall 2011, and Keynotes Duet will stage their encore with M4A in November as well. Jamie, speaking on behalf of the Board, is so grateful that, "through Linda's generosity, we have been able to expand our presence in New York City to this regular series of concert performances across the five boroughs. We are also thrilled to have been able to hire Eileen to continue a focused growth plan in five other cities nationwide - with many more to come."

Spring Gala was Music to our Ears

by Katie Flachs

On the afternoon of Sunday, March 6th, Music for Autism held its annual spring fundraiser at the home of Deborah Bailey in New Jersey. Not even the rain clouds and chilly weather could dampen the spirits of those who traveled from around the tri-state region in order to support the foundation and meet members of the Board and Junior Board of Music for Autism. Guests were treated to an intimate performance by the Grammy-nominated Enso String Quartet, demonstrating why they have been a perennial favorite of both interactive concert participants and music critics. After the performance, Ms. Bailey, who has graciously hosted this event on more than one occasion, expressed her appreciation for Music for Autism and its commitment to participants with autism and their families. She was surprised by the foundation with a Service Award, presented by the US Founder and Executive Director Robert Accordino, to honor her extraordinary dedication to the organization since its inception in 2007 and her continued support. The evening ended on a high note, with guests receiving copies of Enso's Grammy-nominated CD and raising over $17,000 to support future concerts across the United States.

Deborah Bailey and Members of the Board and Junior Board of

Music for Autism with the Enso String Quartet at the Gala

Melmark New England Hosts New England Premiere of Music for Autism's Highly Acclaimed Interactive Concert Series

Free Concert to Bring the Magic of Music to Individuals with Autism and their Families

Peter Troy, posted February 28, 2011

ANDOVER, MA (February 28, 2011) – Melmark New England was proud to present the first in a series of acclaimed autism-friendly interactive concerts designed for individuals with autism and their families. The first concert, celebrating the partnership between Music for Autism, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Melmark New England was held on Sunday, February 20, 2011 with over 250 people in attendance at two concerts during this inaugural event with Classical Tangent, a classical and folk group of musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Berklee College of Music faculty and other professional organizations.

Music for Autism offers professionally performed, enriching musical experiences in an environment where individual differences are celebrated. The 60-minute interactive concerts are broken out into three portions to include “concert time”, “conducting time” and “percussion time” where event participants are invited to join the experience with their movement and provided instruments. Concertgoers are encouraged to participate and allow the music to move them.

“The performing arts are often inaccessible to families and their children with autism. That’s why we’re so grateful to Music for Autism for establishing this bridge to the arts. Classical Tangent’s performance was flawless and was a moving experience for Melmark New England staff, guests and their families as well as many community guests,” said Rita Gardner. “At one point, the calming and engaging effect the music had on participants with autism overwhelmed the families, leaving no dry eye in the house.”

Robert Accordino, US Founder and Executive Director of Music for Autism said, “We're thrilled to expand our reach to New England. Our signature is the outstanding quality of our musical programs with exceptional volunteers in a wonderful setting. We are thus so lucky to have the perfect collaborators to bring our programs to serve those with autism and their families in the greater Boston area--Melmark New England and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In the worlds of autism and music, it does not get any better than that!”

"We are delighted to partner with Music for Autism to present BSO chamber concerts in the greater Boston area for individuals with autism and their families. The concert on Sunday not only was a moving experience for the families who came, but also for our musicians who performed. We are looking forward to more concerts in the future." Sarah Glenn, Assistant Manager of Education and Community Programs, Boston Symphony Orchestra.

About Melmark New England

Melmark New England, located in Andover, Massachusetts, is a service division of Melmark, Inc. in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. We provide educational, residential, clinical vocational, therapeutic and healthcare services, personally designed for each individual in an environment of warmth, care and respect. We are committed to science-based, best practices as they relate to the individuals we serve. The student is always our first priority and we strive to ensure that our students have services that are evidence-based and effective. While all services provided by Melmark New England are based on a model of Applied Behavior Analysis and other evidence-based interventions, we rely on data to inform and guide the design of service delivery. Our overriding goal is to help each individual reach his/her greatest level of independence in all skill areas and living environments. Melmark New England seeks to partner with families and collaborate in the design of services that best meet the individual student's and family’s needs. We are committed to educational excellence for every child, every day.

www.melmarkne.org

About Music for Autism

Music for Autism is raising public awareness and enriching lives through autism-friendly, interactive concerts developed specifically for individuals with autism and their families. The concerts held in the United States and United Kingdom feature professional musicians. To ensure equal access for all, every Music for Autism concert is fully subsidized. Families note that the concerts fill a major psychosocial void, enabling them to enjoy enriching activities that are inclusive of children with autism.

www.musicforautism.org

http://www.facebook.com/MusicForAutism

http://twitter.com/musicforautism

About Boston Symphony Orchestra

Now in its 130th season, the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert on October 22, 1881, and has continued to uphold the vision of its founder, the businessman, philanthropist, Civil War veteran, and amateur musician Henry Lee Higginson, for well over a century. The Boston Symphony Orchestra has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, South America, and China; in addition, it reaches audiences numbering in the millions through its performances on radio, television, and recordings. It plays an active role in commissioning new works from today’s most important composers; its summer season at Tanglewood is regarded as one of the world’s most important music festivals; it helps develop the audience of the future through BSO Youth Concerts and through a variety of outreach programs involving the entire Boston community; and, during the Tanglewood season, it sponsors the Tanglewood Music Center, one of the world’s most important training grounds for young composers, conductors, instrumentalists, and vocalists. The orchestra’s virtuosity is reflected in the concert and recording activities of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, one of the world’s most distinguished chamber ensembles made up of a major symphony orchestra’s principal players, and the activities of the Boston Pops Orchestra have established an international standard for the performance of lighter kinds of music. Overall, the mission of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is to foster and maintain an organization dedicated to the making of music consonant with the highest aspirations of musical art, creating performances and providing educational and training programs at the highest level of excellence. This is accomplished with the continued support of its audiences, governmental assistance on both the federal and local levels, and through the generosity of many foundations, businesses, and individuals.

Today the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Inc., presents more than 250 concerts annually. It is an ensemble that has richly fulfilled Henry Lee Higginson’s vision of a great and permanent orchestra in Boston.

www.bso.org

Contact: Peter J. Troy, Vice President

978.654.430 ptroy@melmarkne.org

Music To My Ears: A Parent Blogs on Music for Autism's Boston Debut with Classical Tangent

Kelly Wallask, mother of Knox, posted February 21, 2011

Sunday afternoon I was in a familiar place, fighting back tears in front of dozens of strangers.

It was supposed to be a happy event. In fact, it was a happy event. Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra were playing a concert for kids with autism. It was organized by this wonderful non-profit called Musicforautism.org.

It was so damn carefully planned, which is initially what got me. They thought of everything.

"We're going to ask that you not clap today," the emcee said to begin the show. Instead, he showed us how to silently clap by putting our hands in the air and opening and closing them.

The subtext was clear: Some of our kids have a hard time with noise, like clapping, and we want everyone to have a nice time.

The music -- a mix of folk and classical -- was soft. Really soft. At least it seemed that way because the crowd was loud. So loud, you had to strain to hear the music at times.

When does the mighty BSO ever get drowned out by the sound of people dancing and singing along to their music? When does the BSO ever play, "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain"

Again, the subtext rang clear: We want everyone to have a nice time. Not everyone can handle the sounds of a loud orchestra, even a mini-orchestra. The tone was clear: The music was not the focus, the kids were.

What was most overwhelming was being in a room with 100 people who get it. We were surrounded by 100 people who were family, even though many of us had never met. Without a word spoken, we were among people who understood each other's challenges and struggles and were there for each other.

Autism creates a wonderful kinship among parents. When you have cried over the same things, obsessed over the same challenges, and fought the same battles, it creates an iron-clad bond with people you have never even spoken to.

Many of the kids who attended had autism with a capital A. They were far, far more severe than Knox. These are the kids who live in a group home and probably always will. They will never know the freedom of driving themselves and their friends to get an ice cream on a steamy July night. They'd never be able to attend an event like this on their own.

One of these kids, a teen-ager with autism with a capital A, showed his appreciation of the music by baaaaing like a sheep. Another teen-age boy jumped up and down -- directly in front of the orchestra -- as if he was in the middle of a mosh pit.

Remember, this was a mini-orchestra. We weren't listening to Iron Maiden. Imagine the disapproving looks these kids and their parents would have received at a real BSO concert.

And that's what had me biting my lip as hard as I could to keep the tears from flowing. No one reacted. Everyone just smiled and said, "Look what a good time Joey is having!"

No disapproving looks. No snubbing. Just acceptance.

It was beautiful.

Music to my ears.

Music for Autism Rocked Our World: A Parent Blogs on M4A's Concert in NYC with Broadway's Jersey Boys

Varda Steinhardt, http://www.hopefulparents.org/, posted February 10, 2011

I woke up this morning with a heavy heart. It was the 10th of the month, my posting day here at Hopeful Parents, and I had nothing written; zilch, bupkis, nada, boo, jack, zippo.

What I did have was a really nasty cold/virus/throat & possibly bronchial infection (with laryngitis) that started up pretty much the day I finally felt about 90% recovered from last month's gall bladder surgery.

I love writing my Hopeful Parents posts, even though they usually wring blood, sweat and tears out of me. I try to dredge deep into my special needs parenting soul, write from the place where the feelings are raw and a little scary, because I feel I owe that to the people who come to read here, my community of other special needs parents. This is our place, where we can be vulnerable, safely, with each other.

But I just don't have that in me today. All my energy is going into continuing to function at the bare minimum necessary to keep my family and household afloat. So today I will be bringing you a lighter piece here, talking about something other than just myself and my family, my thoughts and feelings.

May I present the wonderful organization: Music for Autism.

This past Sunday, Jacob and I went to our first Music for Autism interactive concert. I had known about this organization for a couple of years, since fairly early on in their existence here in the U.S., as a matter of fact. I had gone to a day long conference at Mt. Sinai Hospital here in New York City, all about new autism research. They had a little related organizations area set up for the lunch break, and there I found Robert Accordino, the enthusiastic founder of Music for Autism.

It was a wonderful idea: good music by professional musicians, classical and modern, presented in a setting that is friendly to families with autistic children (or adults). Sensitive to sensory issues, permissive of movement and noise, singing along tolerated, dancing and participation encouraged.

I signed up for the mailing list, I RSVP-ed an enthusiastic "YES!" to every local concert. But somehow we never made it to one. For too long a time I was trying to make weekends full time "family time" and had not yet accepted how much we needed to separate the children on the weekends to ensure peace and harmony, allowing them their pursuit of their differing agendas.

Ethan does NOT enjoy music much, while Jacob loves it. I kept trying to talk Ethan into coming to a concert with us. Silly me. Last Sunday, accepting the state of things, I made arrangements to drop Ethan off early with his best friend for an extended play-date.

Then Jacob and I went to pick up my recently widowed 88 year old mother who cannot get out and about on her own, and who loves music and to be around children.

On Sunday, this particular concert turned out to be of a collection of show tunes from, and sung by, cast members of the Broadway show "Jersey Boys." Fun, raucus and sweet songs from the 1950s. Wonderful talent, giving their time for free.

The concert was divided into three parts, the first and longest is a "straightforward" show (with movement and dancing encouraged). Then there was the two part interactive section, consisting of first a conducting lesson, where everyone participated by sweeping their arm to the beat; and then they brought out the instruments.

This last was clearly Jake's favorite part. Drums, tambourines, maracas, a wide array of rhythm instruments of all types appeared and were handed out to anybody and everybody. All were encouraged to play along with the songs. A delightful, joyous cacophony ensued and Jake (and my Mom) were happy as clams, making music with all around.

Afterward we went to lunch at a local diner with a friend and her four year-old son who had also come, were regular attendees at these concerts. A perfect Sunday.

It was just lovely. And now, instead of falling into my usual habit of mentally berating myself for not doing this sooner? I am going to take the positive and high road here, and say that going forward we are now committed to showing up with bells on, whenever the next local concert should happen.

It was a wonderful experience for Jacob and I (and my mother) to share. And also? More than that. Community building was going on.

There was such a sense of ease and comfort among all the many families that were there, a feeling of belonging. We were a mixed lot: there were young children, older children and teenagers; even a few adults still in their parents care, who rarely have family events they are so welcomed at. There were children who were deeply on the spectrum, non-verbal; there were kids whose spectrum issues were lighter, and less visible; amazing dancers; kids who seemed to have trouble controlling their bodies; verbal kids singing along; squawky kids who screeched; parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and typical siblings, too.

We were families of all stripes, shapes and sizes and this space clearly belonged to us. We could be ourselves here, and all felt welcome, accepted, accommodated. They did a great job making sure things were set up the way we needed them to be. Instead of applause which can startle and overwhelm some kids with sensory issues, we held our hands up, wiggled our fingers in the air, as if we were making sparkles with our fingertips.

There were tons of cheerful, friendly, helpful volunteers there, circulating among us, making sure that everyone was participating as much as they wanted to or were able. They danced with kids, helped lead overwhelmed ones and their parents to quiet spots, distributed and collected the instruments for the participatory hullabaloo at the end.

And the best part? It is funded through grants, through fund-raising, through generosity, and is free for families to attend. Yes, FREE.

Please go to their website and check it out, and if there is a concert in your area, I encourage you to show up. If not? Get in touch with them, see if you can make one happen. And if you're rolling in dough? Contribute to this organization, they make a difference.

Jacob and I really needed this, last Sunday, something easy, fun, just for us. Thank you, Music for Autism, for providing us with a space to be at ease, whirling and twirling together to our own different drum.