
Last weekend our family had a chance to attend a unique and wonderful event - the west coast premiere of the Music for Autism concert series, which was sponsored by and took place at The Help Group in Sherman Oaks.

Diego had never been to a concert, so he wasn't too excited when we proposed the idea to him. Typically, we like to help him transition by explaining things in great detail beforehand to him, and getting him used to the idea. So we got there early and as one of the first families to arrive he had a chance to check out the place and get comfortable with this new environment.

Big sister Natalie is the most important person in Diego's life and his best friend and teacher, so having her along for the experience already got him in the mood to have a good time.

It was billed as an "interactive" concert, so we weren't exactly sure what to expect, but I've been to a few Harlem Globetrotter games in my day, so I had visions of flying trombones and tambourines on a yo-yo string!

Two amazing musicians, violinists Searmi Parks and Sarah Thornblade of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, volunteered their time and talent and hearts to come and play for this most unusual and most spirited audience.
The rules laid down for the assembled families were the opposite of any classical concert I've ever attended.
1) When the song ends, NO CLAPPING! Sudden outbreaks of applause tend to startle autistic children. Instead, we were taught to show our appreciation by raising our hands and bringing our fingers down to our palms like we were squeezing a small ball, in a form of SILENT CLAPPING that was somehow even more demonstrative than the real thing.
2) When the musicians are playing, ANYTHING GOES! The kids were encouraged to participate and express themselves in any form they chose, from singing to dancing to marching or any other idea they could imagine!

It only took a downbeat and the first few bars of Mozart for these two gents to leap to their feet and get this party started!

Diego didn't get it at first, but once he saw those kids jump up and dance, he was like a born-again in a revival tent, and he immediately got out on the dance floor and convinced our host and emcee to help lift him up for a series of high leaps into the air. Amadeus must have been smiling up there to see his music so physically celebrated!



Our unflappable violinists took it all in stride and rather than being distracted by the whirlwind of activity flowing around them, they seemed to feed off it and take that Baroque bounce to a whole other level!

Part two of the concert had the kids learning to conduct, and it was a thing of beauty to see their attempts to keep time to the music - a 3/4 Waltz no less!

This young Toscanini was determined to make sure they stayed on beat so he got right up in front and held his little stick up to conduct his own symphony of sound.

There was not a dry eye in the house as the joy and spirit of the music lifted even the most low-functioning or behaviorally-challenged kids into a place of liberation and transcendence.
The third part of the show was "Percussion Time" and the fact that I have no photos to share of that wild jungle explosion of ear-splitting rhythm gives you some indication of just how off-the-hook this concert, and these cool kids, got!
Thanks to the promoters of Music For Autism and to The Help Group and Searmi and Sarah for making such beautiful music together!
Enjoy!
william