Mozart Part 2
How can we encourage individuals with autism who have an extraordinary interest in music? What are some tips for providing enriching music experiences that help them enjoy music throughout their lifetime?
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The discussion of music and autism could fill several thick books. We could talk about the interesting research exploring the impact of music on various facets of the lives of individuals with autism. We could talk about strategies for adapting private music instruction for individuals with autism. We could talk about tips for successfully integrating individuals with autism into music ensembles. And the list goes on. For today’s podcast, I’ll share some ideas related to just one small sliver of the topic – that of listening to music.
+ Personal preferences. Sometimes an individual with autism will become very agitated when listening to music. Although it is possible that that person truly does not like music, it may be that they have an aversion to certain pitches, timbres, or tempos in that particular song. One of my long-time friends with autism enjoys nearly every song on the radio, on his iPod, at church, and at concerts. Because he enjoyed music, I was really surprised when he exploded when we went to a bluegrass festival. After a bit of detective work, we discovered the sound quality (timbre) of the banjo grates on his nerves just the same way that fingernails scraping on a chalkboard irritate other folks. He enjoyed listening to loud rock bands, but not to bluegrass.
Another student enjoys playing piano and guitar, and loves listening to instrumental music, but becomes very agitated when people sing. Over time we have come to realize that he can just process one “layer” of music at a time. Adding a song with lyrics to the instrumental music overloads his system. These are just two examples of the impact of autism on music listening.
+ Various types of music. We tend to assume that all toddlers love “little kid” music, all teens love hard rock, and all older adults prefer classical music. But this is simply not the case. As is the case with all people, each individual with autism prefers different songs and styles of music. We can help people select their own “play list” by exposing them to a wide range of artists and songs and styles – classical and rock and jazz and gospel and pop and golden oldies.
+ Sound systems. Poor sound quality is irritating to everyone, but it can be excruciating to people with autism, many of whom are hypersensitive to sounds and timbres and pitches. Even a person with marked auditory sensitivities can enjoy music if the radio, CD player, computer, television, or other music system has decent sound quality. Although some folks cannot tolerate anything on their heads, other individuals enjoy listening to music through headphones or earbuds that filter external sounds.
TIP FOR THE DAY. Enjoyable music listening experiences can make a real difference in the quality of life of individuals with autism and the folks around them. Do what you can to introduce a wide variety of music and to help your friend with autism find a listening method that allows him to enjoy his favorite music.
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