Did you realize that music is the oldest form of communication? Or just how profound music can be on the brain’s development and abilities? World renowned neurologist, Oliver Sacks (click here to see his book, Musicophilia), has spent much of his life denoting this fact; an entire lab at MIT is now researching the incredible effect music has on our body’s largest muscle. Researchers have shown that in Alzheimers patients, when they are in their last stages of the debilitating disease, and can no longer recognize themselves in the mirror, they can still hear an old, familiar tune, stand up and sing! And when we hear music, we use more of our brain energy than during any other task in life (click here for link to MIT study mentioned on NPR)
So, it makes sense that we, as parents and educators, would turn to music to help our children with Autism fight for a better today and tomorrow.
Welcome to BrainSong — a fledgling program started by a mom and a teacher that brings music into the school in the form of mini-concerts, where children with Autism are free to express themselves, learn and grow. Please peruse this website to learn more, perhaps donate your music skills and visit our classroom, or help pay musicians with big hearts who can.
Sincerely, Julie Hoffman Marshall, co-founder of BrainSong