Troupe’s awesome partnership with AACPS Performing Visual Arts program

We are so excited, less than one week before the Troupe summer program begins! As we are finalizing our enrollment, I am very pleased to share with our community that we will have 8 high school interns with us this summer, from the Performing Visual Arts magnet program of Anne Arundel County Public Schools. This is a very competitive, county-wide program that requires an audition and acceptance into the music or theatre departments of Broadneck or Annapolis High Schools. Some of these students already know that they want to pursue a career in music therapy, and it is my honor to share with them my journey in becoming a Board Certified Music Therapist.

Here is the best part about how The Musical Autist will be working with the PVA students. It will allow Troupe to be a true Community Music Therapy program at its finest. Meaning, our therapeutic goals are in the realms of social justice. Our goals are not to “normalize” or “mainstream” Troupe participants that have disabilities. Rather, our goals are IN the community, to raise awareness of disability rights, neurodiversity, how to truly presume competence in individuals even if they are non-speaking or have socially non-conforming behaviors. And not just “awareness” of these concepts, but to then teach allyship, and the fact that being an ally is not something that can be claimed, but rather it is granted by the community you are aiming to serve. I cannot think of a better group of future leaders and change-makers in our community, to help us accomplish these goals, than our PVA students who will be making music with us this summer!

Classes are every Tuesday at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. June 18th to August 13th.

We have 2 more spots open in the 14 yr old to young adult class (12:30-1:45pm) and 3 spots left in the 8-14 yr old class (2-3:15pm).
If you know of anyone that is interested in learning more about self-advocacy, building relationships, and making music (no training required) with others that celebrates self-determination, acceptance and respect for diversity, please have them sign up soon! We also still have scholarships available!