The Lotus Centre works with the National Art Centre Orchestra to host concerts at the NAC designed to accommodate children with special needs. “All of these kids should have an opportunity to learn.” “The more research I did the more I found how much kids with special needs often have a special affinity for music, and I’m not just talking about savants,” she added. “Trying to find extracurricular activities… where he would be able to participate where it wouldn’t be prohibitive in the way it was presented or he would be disrupting everything - it was really hard,” said Parkes. Erin Parkes, founder and executive director of the Lotus Centre in Kanata - a music school catering specifically to children with special needs - said her son, who has ASD, was part of the reason she founded her business. They’re also not the only concerts in Ottawa designed for this purpose. This includes providing open seating so children can move in and out of their chairs easily, soft mats near the stage to play on, toys and fidgeting devices to use, and quieter music to listen to. They are specifically designed to accommodate the needs of children living with autism spectrum disorder, also known as ASD. Xenia concerts do more than combat stifling social norms, though. “It may be a generalization to attach elitism to all classical or jazz music concerts… (but) it’s difficult to deny that (these concerts are usually enjoyed) in stillness and silence,” said Nemetallah. Sarah Nemetallah, one of the group’s violinists, said that traditional concert protocols discourage children with autism away attending performances. The Xenia concerts originated in Toronto, created by the Cecilia String Quartet. “There are more and more programs for kids who have autism to participate in, but not with their siblings or their parents.” While there are a wealth of social programs in Ottawa designed for children with special needs, Goymour said Ottawa needs more variety. “So they can’t go to a regular theatre, they can’t go to the symphony, there’s so many things they just can’t go to, so they feel somewhat isolated.” “There’s very few activities they can do as a family with a child who has autism because the child sometimes cries out, or needs to move, or whatever,” said Goymour. Vanessa Goymour, director of community engagement and education at Chamberfest, said it can be hard for families of children with special needs to find ways to spend their time together. It was performed by the Laura Swankey Quartet.
Fill the gap concert 2016 free#
United Church and was offered free of charge. The performance, titled “Xenia – Changing Skies,” was held at Dominion-Chalmers 19, Autism Ontario and Ottawa Chamberfest teamed up to host a concert meant exclusively for children on the autism spectrum and their families. It was a scene from many parents’ nightmares, but for these families, it was a refuge and relief. At one point, a young boy approached the guitar player and attempted to use his instrument.
A third of the chairs were empty as children raced around the room, shouting, clapping, and playing with toys.
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