This Sensory Friendly Concert, offered in partnership with The Musical Autist and Shenandoah University music therapy program, is an inclusive performance of the fine arts that celebrates neurodiversity and autistic advocacy. Accommodations are provided for audience members with neurological differences who may be more sensitive to the environment and our concert motto is always “hand-flapping allowed!”

Concert volume levels will be kept low and lighting soft, with noise-reduction headphones available for use. An adjacent “quiet space” with sensory manipulatives will be nearby for audience members who may need a break from the concert environment. Additionally, PA (public address) systems are not used in Sensory Friendly Concerts. Those with hypo-sensitivity to sound are encouraged to come close to the stage during the performance, where the volume is louder, or to move freely around the concert space as is comfortable. Other provisions for promoting engagement with live music are fidgets and manipulatives for those who enjoy extra tactile feedback during their listening experience, as well as scarves for those who enjoy dancing or moving their bodies freely around the room. Credentialed music therapists, music therapy students, and other trained volunteers will be present to facilitate meaningful musical interactions with audience members.

Parents and caregivers are responsible for those whom they bring at all times, but are also invited to and enjoy a social environment where their loved one can enjoy being in an autistic friendly space.

Questions? Contact Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Kerry Devlin, M.M., at kdevlin16@su.edu.