There is no greater symbol of success in the world of music than playing at Carnegie Hall. It is the dream of many a musician, but a relatively small number of people ever set foot on it's hallowed stage.
Some special needs students from Florida are about to make this dream a reality. Their teacher, Mr. DeVito has been pushing back the boundaries for about eight years. First, hired as a music teacher, he found it discouraging that so few good instruments were available to his students. So he applied for some money to buy instruments. Then he started videotaping and sharing their music with other musicians. Now ten of his students will travel to New York and play with other musicians at Carnegie Hall.
Music is a wonderful way to both reach out to individuals with special needs and to be touched by them in return. One of Mr. DeVito's students is non-verbal, affected by cerebral palsy, and hard of hearing, but loves to play drums. Studies have shown that children with speech delays often respond well to learning and comprehending words that are "sung" instead of spoken. At our house we sometimes take advantage of this to transition to new activities with silly songs made up to familiar children's songs. Individuals with special needs can find great purpose and joy in making music. Perhaps even more importantly, every "typical" person who participates in and watches this concert will be reminded (or taught) that every individual can make beautiful contributions to our world.
There is a chance for you to get in on this excellent event. Donations are still needed to defray the cost of travel to New York. Follow the link to the story above and scroll down to see how to donate.
