Inspiring the autism community through live music
Twice a year over the past three years, special-needs audiences at the JESPY House, an organization that serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in the South Orange community, have looked forward to a special day of hearing live music and timeless stories.
Since 2013, the JESPY House Day Program has welcomed New Jersey Symphony Orchestra musicians who have designed and presented programs for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), bringing some of the world’s greatest music to audiences unable to attend NJSO concerts.
Stephanie Jasinski, JESPY House Day Program coordinator, notices the remarkable effects of sharing relatable stories and music with the autism community:
“Inviting NJSO musicians into our community has exposed our special-needs audiences to orchestral music in a way that is unprecedented. Each time, the Orchestra has helped share a deeper understanding of where music comes from, allowing participants to touch the instruments and engage with the story and music. They look forward to these visits, often talk about them long after the visit is over and some have begun using orchestral music as a coping skill which I believe is directly related to this program.”
The idea for these concerts was inspired by a long-time NJSO subscriber whose son with ASD was held “rapt” by the sound of an orchestra and also from the fact that New Jersey has one of the highest reported autism rates in the U.S. Those on the autism spectrum often find music can provide an another means of communication, and activities such as conducting or playing instruments help special needs audiences break out of their customary reserve, be socially interactive and feel recognized.
Principal Violist Frank Foerster is one of 24 NJSO musicians trained to develop “sensory-friendly” chamber music programs. He has witnessed the positive effects these meaningful and enjoyable experiences can have on audiences:
“It is an ideal situation for NJSO musicians to be able to repeatedly visit. As the audience gets to know us, interactions become easier. I feel great joy and gratification when I see happiness, openness and trust in the faces of our special-needs audience members.”
The autism community has been remarkably receptive of this program in its schools and community centers. A staff member at the JESPY House said, “Thank you for bringing instruments from other cultures,” and another observed that the “students seemed engaged the entire time.”
NJSO AND THE AUTISM COMMUNITY PROGRAM
JESPY House is just one of 11 partners with whom the Orchestra works through this initiative. As part of NJSO’s REACH Chamber Music Program, the Autism Community Program provides children and adults on the autism spectrum with the opportunity to interact with their world through live music, bringing concert performances into environments that are familiar and comfortable for the audience. The program connects the NJSO with schools and other community organizations that serve nearly 1,200 people with ASD, their educators and support staff throughout Mercer and Essex counties.
NJSO hopes to continue to share the inspiring experience of live classical music for the autism community and to expand the program to other communities in New Jersey. Find out more about the NJSO REACH Chamber Music Program and the opportunities that exist for those with autism.
You can help share the joy, learning and enthusiasm for special needs audience members with autism. An Annual Fund gift in any amount supports the NJSO’s Autism Community Program, and other education and community engagement programs. Donate today.
About the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Named “a vital, artistically significant musical organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra’s superb musicians.
Embracing its legacy as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO is the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark and regularly performs at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown and bergenPAC in Englewood.
In addition, the NJSO presents education and community engagement programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music. Programs include school-time Concerts for Young People, as well as the Youth Orchestras family of student ensembles and El Sistema-inspired NJSO CHAMPS (Character, Achievement and Music Project) that provide and promote instrumental instruction.
Learn more and explore concerts in your area. Connect with NJSO on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.