Music

As a music teacher, I have often been impressed at how music can affect the lives of children. This observations is even more defined with Aspie kids. Not that all Aspie kids are incredibly talented....but music does mean something to them. All three of my sons are blessed with musical talent. But my middle son truly "has it in his blood." He has been matching pitch since he was a baby and has a beautiful, pure tone quality to his voice. Unfortunately, I find myself asking the same questions I fear others will ask about him. Our school is participating in a local choral competition. Although this son of mine is one of the most talented kids singing, I question whether or not he should be allowed to participate. I do not want his seeming lack of focus to reflect on the rest of the choir. WHAT AM I DOING!?!?! His ability and talent is just as important as anyone else's ability and talent!!! In rehearsal yesterday, he happened to notice that the sightreading excerpt the students were singing exhibited a scale pattern and an arpeggio pattern. My students have specific names for these exercises that we use to warm up our voices. He recognized these patterns and said, "Oh...that's why we sing those exercises." NEVER, in my 16 years of teaching, has a student in their first year of choir, in only their second experience with organized sightreading, has a student recognized that yes, that IS why we do those exercises!

Another interesting musical observation in reference to this son is that minimalistic music tends to calm him down. Minimalistic music is based on repeated rhythmic and melodic patterns that change "minimally" over time. There is an interesting book by Tim Page entitled Parallel Play that speaks about Aspie kids and minimalistic music. Personally, minimalistic music used to really bug me. I thought, "Where is the expression." It took my 9 year old son to teach me that the pattern WAS the expression.

Of course an Aspie kid would like it....it speaks his language.