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Description: The quest to establish and fund an Autoharp music program for developmentally disabled children and adults.
Like many people, my first encounter with Savant Syndrome was the movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman. When people I talk to don’t know about autism, I mention the movie Rain Man and their eyes light with recognition as they nod their heads. Hoffman’s character was based on Kim Peek, one of the 50 known prodigious savants in the world.
I learned about Savant Syndrome from Dr. Darold Treffert’s book, Extraordinary People. My daughter, Kerry, has "talented savant" skills in learning songs and memorizing videos. Her talent stands in stark contrast to her other abilities to function in the world. You can see Kerry's joy in singing in her recital videos, first and second.
Dr. Treffert, who consulted on the film Rain Man, is a world-renowned expert in Savant Syndrome. He estimates that up to 10% of people with an autistic disorder have savant skills at the “talented savant” or “splinter skill savant” level. Those special abilities may appear as skills in mathematics, art, or music.
Savant Syndrome is a fascinating topic. Here are some recommended links to start learning about Savant Syndrome:
Savant Syndrome: Frequently Asked Questions
Savant Syndrome: Personal Profiles
In reading, I noticed that most “prodigious savants” had training from an early age. From the time Kerry was four, I had asked professionals working with her about finding a music teacher. No one knew of any teachers or programs working with autistic children. So the years went by without training. I was unable to find a music teacher to work with Kerry until just before her 21st birthday. I can only wonder how her skills would have developed with professional guidance.
A couple of months ago Dr. Treffert put me in touch with Susan Rancer, a music therapist who works with autistic children like Kerry. After speaking with Susan, I’m convinced that she could have taught Kerry to read music and play the piano from an early age.
Kerry showed signs of having perfect pitch, and Susan would have known how to develop that ability. Unfortunately, Susan is in San Francisco and we are in Boston. More unfortunately, Susan said other experts who could have worked with Kerry were in our backyard all along at the Music Therapy Department of the Berklee School of Music. How is it that no professional working with Kerry knew to refer us there?
Kerry’s love of music proved to be the pathway to learning language and social skills. If I’d known then what I know now, Kerry would have received music training from an early age. Her education focused on her DISabilities, overlooking the opportunity to strengthen her amazing ability in music.
To parents of autistic children, I recommend reading Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet. His description of autistic behaviors in childhood provides a new perspective to those of us who live with someone on the autistic spectrum.
Many people have been helping me with ideas to move Autoharp music into the community. I’ve decided to call the program Learning Life Skills Through Music. More about the connections between life skills, music and Autoharps will be covered in my next post.
Have fun reading the savant links!
Cathy
I am in the early stages of setting up a music program that centers on the Autoharp for mentally handicapped children and adults. My goal is to identify individuals with splinter savant skills in music and provide a path for developing their skill.
Our daughter, Kerry, is 21, autistic, retarded, hyperlexic, and gifted with a love of music and performance. She appears to have splinter savant music skills. Kerry has mild cerebral palsy in her hands, which makes it difficult to play an instrument, but she can play a modified Autoharp. After four years of searching, we finally found a teacher to work with her on singing starting last September. Kerry's first recital is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLl9VneEymc.
An estimated 10% of the autistic population have splinter savant skills. We need specialized programs to find them and help develop their strengths. I believe an Autoharp program is a perfect way to reach children through schools and adults through community activities. I have a vision that mentally handicapped children and adults can play music with other musicians at community centers, retirement communities, nursing homes, schools and anywhere else people like to get together and hear music.
If you haven't heard a virtuoso Autoharp player before, please listen to Jo Ann Smith on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwpnFjlTSwU. When I first heard modern Autoharp players, I couldn't believe they played the same instrument I remember from school!
About 18 months ago I began to purchase and modify Autoharps to make them easier to play. The modifications also transform the Autoharp into an Occupational Therapy instrument. I developed a color-coding system (Color Chord-inates) to aid those who have trouble in deciphering chord symbols. The color-coding is also an Occupational Therapy aid.
So far I've donated three modified Autoharps to my daughter's school (Protestant Guild Learning Center in Waltham) and seven more to the residential houses where students stay during the week. The Autoharp chords are set up to quickly reinforce both music theory and chord relationships. I can provide much more information about this, but a place to start without being overwhelmed is my site at https://home.comcast.net/~cathybeyer/. You may want to skip to Photo Page 1 before reading the text on the home page.
In December I met an autistic girl with splinter savant skills at the same music school my daughter attends. I was warned not to take offense if she ignored the Autoharps and me. When I arrived, I pulled out my three Autoharps. She immediately went to the floor and began to strum on the 3-chord modified 'harp. When she saw me pull out my 12-chord Autoharp, she set the other aside and strummed a couple chords. I showed her where the C chord was located, and the next thing I knew she was playing the full chord progression for Let It Be. I've NEVER seen anything like it! Then I pulled out my 21-chord Autoharp, and she set the 12 chord 'harp aside and took the 21-chord from me. She spent the entire music lesson playing the Autoharp. Well, there was one song she was coaxed into playing on the piano just for me, but then she went right back to the Autoharp. Her mother asked me to customize an Autoharp for her daughter's birthday on Wednesday. I've attached a picture of it. I put a compass (the star) on the 'harp because music will always provide the daughter with direction in her life.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can help me chart a course to establish a fundable Autoharp/music program to reach into schools and early intervention programs. Kerry learned to talk because we worked with her through songs, which have a double/predictable structure of music and lyrics. I know teachers and Occupational Therapists can use some of the same Autoharp supported techniques to teach language, social skills, and fine motor coordination to students. If you have other contacts that may be interested in music activities with the Autoharp, feel free to forward this to them.
Cathy
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A great program, Cathy! Looking forward to hear how it develops.
07/01/07 07:07:24 am
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