A Change of Plans and A New Venue of Possibility

Sensory Friendly Concerts Go Virtual

Authors

  • Jordan Alan Fogle State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, USA
  • Laurie Scott The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v23i3.3702

Keywords:

autism; sensory friendly concerts; advocacy; community music therapy; accessibility; inclusion

Abstract

The sensory friendly concert (SFC) represents an increasingly popular effort toward engaging the autism community in live music performances by promoting inclusive practices and offering specialized accommodations to counter what many consider the rigidity of concert etiquette. The authors explore academic and historical perspectives on SFCs and seek to highlight best practices for the design and facilitation of inclusive community music events in live and virtual settings. Drawing upon the experience of adapting a planned in-person protocol to the virtual setting, the authors explore benefits that extend far beyond the autism community. In addition to providing an environment in which self-expression, diversity, and community are celebrated, SFCs can serve as a transition-oriented therapeutic intervention aimed at promoting progress toward goals related to independent living and musical participation in the broader society, including school and community ensembles.

Author Biographies

Jordan Alan Fogle, State University of New York at New Paltz, New Paltz, NY, USA

Jordan Fogle, MM, is a student in the Music Therapy Graduate Program at the State University of New York at New Paltz. He holds a master’s degree in Music and Human Learning from the University of Texas at Austin and has supported diverse communities in the establishment of neuro-affirming vocational, recreational, and therapeutic programs in healthcare and educational settings. Both his professional and creative pursuits are informed by his passions for inclusive education, cross-disability advocacy, and the arts. His research interests include the use of music therapy in diabetes care, and community music therapy. Currently, he serves as the Lead Health Education Research Coordinator for an NIH-funded sex education study (STEPS2) for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the CUNY School of Public Health.

Laurie Scott, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

Laurie Scott is Associate Professor of Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, she serves as the director of The University of Texas String Project, and the Musical Lives Program at The University of Texas Elementary School. A former middle and high school orchestra director, she now mentors young professionals toward successful lives as music educators. In every facet of her teaching, Dr. Scott serves as an advocate for inclusive and diverse music classrooms, adult music learners, and access to quality music instruction for all children. In 2020, Dr. Scott was recognized by alumni as one of the “Texas Ten” most influential and inspiring professors at UT Austin and most recently received the Marvin J. Rabin national award for Community Service from the American String Teachers Association

Photo of authors Fogle and Scott

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Published

2023-11-01

How to Cite

Fogle, J. A., & Scott, L. (2023). A Change of Plans and A New Venue of Possibility: Sensory Friendly Concerts Go Virtual. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v23i3.3702

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 3 (2023)

Section

Reflections on Practice

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Jordan A. Fogle, Laurie P. Scott

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Articles published prior to 2019 are subject to the following license, see: https://voices.no/index.php/voices/copyright