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TEACHING MUSIC TO THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

If I have learned anything from my years of experience working with "special needs" populations, in my case the "MR/DDA (mentally retarded/developmentally disabled)," including all of its sub-classifications (such as Downs Syndrome, "Fragile X" Syndrome, autism, and brain damaged), it is that I detest labels. I also have come to the conclusion that when it comes to the teaching of music to a member of any of the above groups, labels have absolutely no value. EVERYONE, no matter where an individual's mental capacity falls on some diagnostic scale, whatever their level of communication ability, whatever their physical limitations, practically everyone reacts to music. Most people like some form of music. Some, and again, regardless of their standing in the "normal" world, some people truly LOVE music. And a love for music is often an indication of musical talent.

My first experience with the special needs population was when I worked at a group home that housed fifteen adults, ranging from mildly to profoundly "retarded", all wheel chair bound and totally dependent on their care givers. One of the "clients" (some homes call them "consumers") was thirty-five years old at the time but he had the body and mind of an eight month old child. If we could get Kurt to hold a ball in his hand for thirty seconds, we celebrated. But oh! How Kurt loved the piano! Sometimes when he had an unruly "behavior," I wheeled him over next to the piano and played for him. He would rock back and forth (in rhythm!) and squeal with delight.

Of the fifteen men and women at this home, six were exceptionally fond of singing, and, perhaps because of the strong presence of the Baptist Church in the rural area that they all came from, they especially loved to sing old Christian hymns. How well did they sing? Again, by "normal" standards, not very well at all. One woman would repeat the line "Yes, Jesus Loves Me," over and over while swaying side to side. One or two, though unable to speak a complete sentence coherently, knew all the words, but couldn't carry a tune. One woman had a BEAUTIFUL singing voice but could not articulate the words. One man grunted, but surprisingly close to pitch.

Did their "limitations" stop any of them? No! And with a lot of encouragement and pats on the back (the keys to success here), and with some help from another piano player, I was able to take these six exceptionally wonderful people and form the Group Home Chorus!

Our

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