Patriots Weekend: Concord250 Events & More!

April 2, 2024/0 Comments/in anniversary, Arts, birthday, Celebration, Concord, MA, Concord250, Concord250th, education, free, history, holiday, music, pancake, party, Patriots Day, Umbrella Arts, Umbrella Community Center, Uncategorized, women /by pollymeyer

April 13, Saturday

A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour

10AM

In this 90 minute walking tour we will examine the known history and stories of these Patriots of Color who fought for freedom locally both during the American Revolution and beyond. Minuteman National Park, Robbins House and Concord Visitors Center staff will lead this tour examining the incredible stories of individuals who risked everything during their struggle for liberty, equality, and freedom for all.

Tour meets at the North Bridge Lower Lot. All ages are welcome.

This walking tour is co-sponsored by Minuteman National Park, The Robbins House, and The Concord Visitors Center as a Concord250 Event

Donations in support of Black History Month in Concord may be made to The Robbins House here: https://robbinshouse.org/donate/

Learn More about Patriots of Color :

https://robbinshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/PatriotsofColor-web.pdf

https://www.nps.gov/mima/patriotsofcolor.htm

From Pasadena to Concord: Telling The Whole Story

2:00—3:30 PM

For 129 years, Black educator and activist Ellen Garrison lay unsung and forgotten in an unmarked grave in Altadena, California’s Mountain View Cemetery.

Ellen Garrison, native daughter of Concord, was the granddaughter of a freedman who fought in the Revolutionary War and spent years traveling alone through the South to teach formerly enslaved people how to read and write, protected only by a paper “passport” to show she was a free person.

The residents of Altadena knew little of this hidden history, but they were willing to learn, listen, and honor this heroine in their midst. Veronica Jones, Vice Chair of the Town Council, decided to act. Ms. Jones has a deep passion for uncovering hidden histories. Through her work with the Altadena Historical Society, she spearheaded the placement of headstones on the graves of Ellen Garrison, her husband, and her sister. Additionally, two scholarships are awarded to local Altadena students in memory of Ellen Garrison. Thanks to the Altadena Historical Society and Veronica Jones, Ellen Garrison is celebrated every year on Juneteenth, honoring the hidden histories of Altadena.

This process her community has gone through creates lasting change and deeper inclusion for all segments of her community. Veronica will share their journey and lessons learned and discuss how this work can impact us all, no matter where we live.

Veronica Jones is a retired life-long resident of Altadena, California with vast experience in community development. She has worked extensively on public safety, infrastructure improvements, community-police relations, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and re-establishing relationships with local, state, and federal government. She is highly regarded in her community as a change agent, promoting integrity and economic growth.

Please visit The Robbins House and the Altadena Historical Society to learn more.

This event is co-sponsored by Robbins House, Concord250, and The Concord Free Public Library’s William Munroe Special Collections.

LINK

Concord Band performs its annual Spring Pops

51 Walden presents the Concord Band performing its annual Spring Pops concert as a fundraiser for 51 Walden building renovations. The concert will be held on Saturday April 13, 2024, at 7:00 pm on the music stage of the 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord.

The program will feature a guest artist, Ukrainian soprano Olga Lisovska, singing opera and popular solos including The Kyiv Waltz and George Gershwin’s Somebody Loves Me.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

3:00- 5:00pm

Ellen Garrison Day in Concord

Come join us and celebrate and afternoon of words, music, art and song as we Stand up for Ellen on the anniversary of her birth at the Concord Armory!

MONDAY, APRIL 15, PATRIOTS’ DAY

Patriots’ Day Pancake Breakfast at First Parish

8:30-11:00 Patriots Day Parade and North Bridge Ceremony

https://concordma.gov/1159/Patriots-Day-Parade

Patriots Day at the Wright Tavern

Patriots’ Day at the Concord Museum

Enjoy free admission to the Museum and visit the immersive April 19, 1775 gallery to see the “One if by land, two if by sea” lantern hung in the North Church to signal Paul Revere on his midnight ride. During your visit, participate in drop-in activities to learn about life and craft in the colonies. Sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation.

Witness the brave Acton Minutemen company in an encampment outside the Museum as they drill with muskets to prepare for battle, cook over a firepit, and demonstrate colonial
spinning and sewing. Supported by the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.

Beware of a Red Coat from the British Army roaming the galleries looking for Provincial rebels. Talk with him about the experiences of the Red Coats on April 19, 1775. Supported by
the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.

Check out the line up of events at Minute Man National Historical Park

Photo: Amanda Pollock, Minuteman National Historical Park

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

6 to 7:30 pm Concord, There Is More To Our Story

FRIDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 19 & 21

A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour

10am

In this 90 minute walking tour we will examine the known history and stories of these Patriots of Color who fought for freedom locally both during the American Revolution and beyond. Minuteman National Park, Robbins House and Concord Visitors Center staff will lead this tour examining the incredible stories of individuals who risked everything during their struggle for liberty, equality, and freedom for all.

Tour meets at the North Bridge Lower Lot

All ages are welcome.

This walking tour is co-sponsored by Minuteman National Park, The Robbins House, and The Concord Visitors Center as a Concord250 Event

Donations in support of Black History Month in Concord may be made to The Robbins House here: https://robbinshouse.org/donate/

Learn More about Patriots of Color :

https://robbinshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/PatriotsofColor-web.pdf

https://www.nps.gov/mima/patriotsofcolor.htm

Holidays Under The Umbrella

November 28, 2023/0 Comments/in Arts, Concord, MA, free, holiday, music, Umbrella Arts, Umbrella Community Center /by admin

The Umbrella Arts Center kicks off the holiday season this week with the return of Concord’s traditional Umbrella Winter Market, an annual three-day show and sale of artist, artisan, and hand-crafted work on all three floors of its beautifully renovated space at 40 Stow Street. It features dozens of Umbrella Studio Artists, regional Guest Artists, an annual “Off-the-Wall” show with small works under $350, a Ceramics Program holiday sale, Arts Education Free Drop-In Family Day info table, prizes drawing, and more.

PLUS, view the “Fresh Ink: Contemporary Explorations in Printmaking” Gallery Exhibition, live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and refreshments in the cafe provided by Sudbury Coffee Works. And on Friday Noon – 4PM, stop by J.McLaughlin in Concord, where 15% of your purchases will go to support the work of the non-profit arts center.

AND in Performing Arts news, The Umbrella Stage Company has announced the return of its popular Holiday Pops Concert series, featuring the award-winning Firebird Pops Orchestra and Firebird Vox choir. Performances Friday, December 15 at 7:30pm, Saturday, December 16 at 3:00pm, and December 17 at 3:00pm.

See https://theumbrellaarts.org

CONCORD250 EVENTS

October 23, 2023/0 Comments/in anniversary, author, Celebration, Climate, Concord, MA, Concord250, education, film, history, movie, music, Patriots Day, speaker, theater, theatre, tour /by pollymeyer

Concord250 Events

A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour FEB 22 1pm

Concord250 in collaboration with Minuteman National Park , The Robbins House and the Concord Visitors Center launches this new walking tour .

In celebration of Black History Month this inaugural tour will be free to the public and all ages are welcome.

https://visitconcord.org/visit/walking-tours/

A Fight for Freedom: Patriots of Color Walking Tour FEB 22 1pm

Between twenty and forty colonists who fought along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775, were of African descent or Indigenous . Although excluded from required militia service prior to the war, these individuals of color were the first of many to take up arms between 1775 and 1783.

By the end of the conflict, an estimated 5,500 African and Indigenous men served on the colonial side. Unfortunately, systemic racism and historical bias have erased or buried many records of Black and Indigenous people who played a prominent role in the founding of the United States.

In this 90 minute walking tour we will examine the known history and stories of these Patriots of Color who fought for freedom locally both during the American Revolution and beyond. Minuteman National Park , Robbins House and Concord Visitors Center staff will lead this tour examining the the incredible stories of the individuals who risked everything during their struggle for liberty, equality, and freedom for all.

In celebration of Black History Month the tour is being offered free of charge .

Tour meets at the North Bridge Lower Lot at 1pm on THU Feb 22. All ages are welcome

This walking tour is co sponsored by Minuteman National Park, The Robbins House, and The Concord Visitors Center as a Concord250 Event

Donations in support of Black History Month in Concord maye be made to The Robbins House here: https://robbinshouse.org/donate/

Learn More about Patriots of Color HERE

https://robbinshouse.org/wp-content/uploads/PatriotsofColor-web.pdf

https://www.nps.gov/mima/patriotsofcolor.htm

“Enemies to their Country?” Concord Town Meeting, January 10, 1774

Wednesday, January 10, 2024
6 PM- 7 PM
Goodwin Forum Main Library

Beyond 1775: Concord and the Massachusetts National Guard

Special pre-Veteran’s Day tour, Nov. 9, 2023, 10 a.m. – a chance to be taken into the special collection of the Concord Armory to see rare artifacts and how materials are preserved.

Be one of the first to explore Concord’s 1915 armory and learn about the near 400-year history of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, the oldest component of the United States Armed Forces. Hear stories of remarkable service and view the objects that witnessed war. The tour will also offer participants a special glimpse into the Massachusetts National Guard Museum while it prepares to open to the public. Concord may be famous for April 19, 1775, but its service to the Commonwealth and Nation continue to this very day.

Tour meets at 91 Everett Street Concord

This tour is provided in partnership with the Massachusetts National Guard Museum.

Endorsed by Concord 250 Committee

concord 250 logo

Concord and the Vietnam War

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023

2:00—4:00 PM

Goodwin Forum, Main Library, 129 Main Street, Concord, MA, 01742

Concord and the Vietnam War: Vietnam Veterans Recount the Protest They Staged at the Old North Bridge in 1971 and How it Led to One of the Largest Mass Arrests in Massachusetts History

On the opening night of Memorial Day Weekend in 1971, men wearing fatigues began to gather at the Old North Bridge in Concord to protest the ongoing war which they had just returned home from fighting. Their plan was to camp overnight and then march all the way to Boston Common. Photographs of them crossing the bridge were splashed across the region’s newspapers. For the liberal press, these were the new Minute Men.

On a panel moderated by Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden and Battle Green, Vietnam, three Massachusetts Vietnam veterans recall why they chose to stage their protests against the Vietnam War at New England’s most storied battlefields, their decision on the second day of the march to emulate Thoreau by occupying the Lexington Battle Green without permission, and their reception in Concord when they were tried in Middlesex Court for civil disobedience. This panel with Vietnam veterans Bestor Cram, Christopher Gregory, and Lenny Rotman, will explore the role of memorialized battlefields, the principles of civil disobedience, and the role protest can play in healing moral injuries.

Ellen Garrison Day – Friday, April 14, 2023

The Concord Select Board declared April 14, 2023, “Ellen Garrison Day” to honor the contributions of Concord resident Ellen Garrison. Ellen was born on April 14, 1823 in Concord, the granddaughter of Patriot of Color, Ceasar Robbins. Ellen lived a life dedicated to the struggle for civil rights until her passing in an anti-slavery community in Pasadena, California, where she is buried alongside other anti-slavery activists.

Learn about Ellen and her life of activism by clicking on the proclamation and join to community for a celebration in her honor on Friday, April 14, 2023.

“Stand up for Ellen” Friday, April 14, 2023 at 6 p.m.

12 Monument Square, Concord, MA, followed by a reception at the Town House, 22 Monument Square. If you can’t be there in person, the event will be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/live/vlSBkbSZ-7c?feature=share

Music
Living History
Arts and performance
Dedication, celebration, and cake
Free, open and suitable to all ages!

This is the FIRST Official Event of the Concord 250 Celebration!

For the first time in 200 years, on April 14, 2023, Concord will publicly honor and celebrate the birth of one of its most inspirational daughters, Ellen Garrison and showcase the 1841 visit of Frederick Douglass to Concord!

Presented by Robbins House and is the first event of Concord 250 celebration. Free and suitable for all ages. Located at Holy Family Church and Concord Town House.

Thanks to the kind offer of collaboration and support of people all over Concord, this event will create an opportunity for a celebration of the legacy and importance of the African American story as central the story of the town. This event allows for public visibility and exposure to help more members of the community learn about and honor a history that may be new to them, but is essential for them and their understanding of Concord’s role in securing freedom for all people.

The Umbrella’s “Lizzie” Rock Musical Brings Seasonal Fun

September 28, 2023/0 Comments/in Concord, MA, day trip, dinner, Halloween, history, music, theater, theatre, Umbrella Arts, Umbrella Community Center /by admin

photo credit: Jim Sabitus

More than 130 years after the grisly unsolved murders that rocked Fall River, Massachusetts, Lizzie Borden finally gets her say in The Umbrella Stage Company’s rousing, ghost-story-meets-rock-concert musical that’s just in time for autumn in Concord and the Halloween season!

Featuring four women fronting a six-piece rock band and delivering a score that epitomizes riot grrrl power, Lizzie has global audiences dancing and raging in their seats.

photo credit: Jim Sabitus

“It’s an amazing story,” shares Director and Choreographer Ilyse Robbins, “with incredible and hard-hitting music, about four women who were all trapped in their own ways by the social constructs of their time. It’s less a biography and more a historical, fictional retelling of Lizzie Borden and the women in her life. Over the course of the show we see them stripping away those constructs, getting to the true-er versions of themselves. In a time when we’re still debating the rights of women, this piece — though it’s so squarely rooted in New England history – feels so universally current. We get to share their journey and cheer these women on as they all take their power into their own hands – literally.”

Characteristically for The Umbrella, the show will be bolstered by a host of fun community and partner activities in Concord Center. The Umbrella has collaborated with the Town of Concord Visitor Center, local restaurants and hotels, the regional Halloween in New England to round out and enhance the theatrical experience.

Select performances will feature additional engagement opportunities for audience members:

Seasonal New England-style Dinner & A Show Thursday meals from Nosh Restaurant may be pre-ordered during ticketing for all Thursday night performances
A special “Kid(S)care” childcare performance October 22 with teacher-guided Halloween-inspired activities for youth ages 5-12 while caretakers attend the 3PM matinee
Talk Backs are scheduled following Sunday matinee performances on October 12 and 29
Mobile ax-throwing in partnership with Revolution Ax Throwing will be available on dates TBA!
Day-of-show Hospitality Partner discounts from Adelita, Concord’s Colonial Inn, Fiorella’s, Nosh, and Aloft/Element Hotel in Lexington.
Themed concessions will be available throughout
The Umbrella will promote the Town Visitor Center’s “Women of Concord” and “Concord’s Twilight : Monuments, Memories and Mortality” Walking Tours
All tickets include free access to The Umbrella Art Gallery, currently featuring “Zero Toys and Death of Print,” an exhibition of photographs by Concord-based Jordan Kessler from September 29 – November 12

To learn more about Lizzie and The Umbrella Stage Company’s exciting new season, see https://theumbrellaarts.org/Lizzie

Community Activities Enrich The Color Purple

May 19, 2023/0 Comments/in Arts, Concord, MA, music, theater, theatre, Umbrella Arts, Umbrella Community Center, Uncategorized /by admin

The Umbrella Stage Company has announced a planned series of community activities to support and enrich theatergoers’ experience of this spring’s production of The Color Purple, the musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic novel, and the 1985 film by Steven Spielberg.

From talkbacks with the cast and moderated discussions on the show’s themes, to childcare and packaged meal options, to informative guided tours exploring the stories of Women and African Americans throughout Concord’s history, audiences will have several opportunities to engage more deeply and comfortably with this “exuberant celebration of community and female empowerment” (The Guardian).

Friday May 19 – 4PM – Pre-Show African American History of Concord Walking Tour, in partnership with Concord Visitor Center

Saturday, May 20 – 4PM – Pre-Show Women of Concord Walking Tour, in partnership with Concord Visitor Center

Sunday, May 21 – Kid-Care Performance*, Community Discussion with Kira Troilo of Art & Soul

Thursday, May 25 Night – Pre-Show Soul Food Dinner Option from Nosh; Post-show Talk Back with the cast

Friday, May 26 – 4PM – Pre-Show Women of Concord Walking Tour, in partnership with Concord Visitor Center

Saturday, May 27 – 4PM – Pre-Show African American History of Concord Walking Tour, in partnership with Concord Visitor Center

Sunday, May 28 – Brown Out Performance with Post-show Affinity Space Potluck for BIPOC Artists, Audiences & Allies — All are Welcome!

Thursday, June 1 – Pre-Show Soul Food Dinner Option from Nosh

Friday, June 2 – 4PM – Pre-Show Women of Concord Walking Tour, in partnership with Concord Visitor Center

Sunday, June 4 – Post-show Talk Back with the cast

NEW! #DinnerAndAShow Thursday Night Out Packages!

Thursdays in Concord are now a fun and easy entertainment Date Night thanks to optional pre-show dinners at The Umbrella, provided by Nosh by Concord Market!

Coming straight from work? No problem! Park free at The Umbrella, then take a load off in their beautifully renovated space. Sit to enjoy a delicious catered dinner (you can pre-order vegetarian, fish and meat options), pick up a beverage at concessions, and then explore the international art exhibition Points of Return the art galleries at your ease until it’s time for curtain! Chef-planned themed menus for The Color Purple can be pre-ordered right up until NOON on Wednesday before the performance; menu options can be selected and added to your online cart at the same as you are making your seat selections! See The Color Purple ticketing options.

ENTREES

Cauliflower Pimento Mac and Cheese
BBQ Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Seared Mustard Salmon with Apple Celery Slaw and Jalapeno Cornbread

DESSERT

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone

In addition to catered Thursday dinners at The Umbrella, all of our performances are supported by day-of-show special offers from our several wonderful #DinnerAndAShowConcord Hospitality Partners! Find special discounts on meals and overnight stays here in the heart of historic Concord with partners including Adelita, Aloft/Element Hotels, Concord’s Colonial Inn, Fiorella’s, and Nosh by Concord Market!

CCM presents TWO Bluegrass events April 29th

April 5, 2023/0 Comments/in music /by pollymeyer

Southern Rail, a bluegrass concert

Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 7:00 pm

Southern Rail’s performances are high-energy exuberant fun, with riveting harmonies, irrepressible humor and sparkling banjo, mandolin, and guitar solo work. Southern Rail celebrates more than four decades of performing together. CCM faculty member Rich Stillman (banjo and harmony vocals, Jim Muller (guitar and lead vocals), Sharon Horovitch (acoustic bass and harmony vocals), and John Tibert (mandolin and harmony vocals) give us rich vocals on beautiful and creative bluegrass arrangements.

Concord Conservatory of Music Bluegrass Band Scramble

Saturday, April 29th starting at noon

If you’ve ever played in a jam session, or if you can play three chords in rhythm, come out and try your hand. Musicians enter the Scramble individually, and bands are created by picking names out of hats for each instrument, so bands have the tools they need. You and your new bandmates then have a two-hour practice session, with coaching from CCM instructors, to prepare songs and stage patter for a three-song turn in front of a sound system and a live audience. The Scramble is purely for experience and enjoyment. There’s no competition, and there are no prizes, just the chance to meet up and perform with other musicians from the area and try your skills in front of an audience. Come out and have fun!

Visit Concord Conservatory of Music website

An Evening with Laura Benanti at Umbrella Arts!

February 28, 2023/0 Comments/in music, Umbrella Arts, Umbrella Community Center /by pollymeyer

MARCH 10 & 11 at 7:30PM

“Broadway wunderkind Laura Benanti isn’t just a smashing vocalist; the woman is a comic genius…See her in any way you can!”

– Kevin Taft, EDGE Media

The “glamorously witty” (Associated Press) Tony® Award-winner and five-time Tony® Award nominee joins The Umbrella in an intimate concert performance — two nights only!

Want to know more about the Broadway star? Check out the links below!

See Laura’s recent interview on Good Morning America about her role on the new hit Amy Schumer series, Life and Beth, the challenges of motherhood, and how her relationship with her daughter has inspired her.
Get a sneak peek of Laura singing in this music video for, “Wives and Lovers”, off her solo album. The proceeds from this music video go to the wonderful organization Birth Queen, educating, supporting, and empowering Black women, parents and birthing people, enriching the Black birth experience and saving lives!

LEARN ABOUT LAURA:

Hailed by The New York Times for her “effortless” vocals, and by the New York Post for her ability to “whip up laughs out of thin air,” Laura Benanti is a highly celebrated stage and screen actress.

Ms. Benanti has an impressive television roster including Hulu’s Life & Beth, created by and starring Amy Schumer, the hit series Younger, HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, and the upcoming second season of HBO Max’s The Gilded Age. Other television credits include guest starring roles on Cinema Toast, created by Jeff Baena and produced by the Duplass Brothers, ZIWE featuring comedian Ziwe Fumudoh, both for Showtime, as well as Inside Amy Schumer on Paramount+ (among many others. Benanti has also made widely acclaimed appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Melania Trump.

In film, Benanti starred in Netflix’s Worth opposite Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and Amy Ryan, Here Today opposite Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish, and was featured in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tick,Tick…Boom!

In the theater, Ms. Benanti took Broadway by storm at the age of 18 as Maria in The Sound of Music and has subsequently starred in ten more Broadway shows (musicals, straight plays, comedies and dramas) including Into the Woods, Nine (opposite Antonio Banderas), Gypsy (for which she won a Tony Award), She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, and Steve Martin’s Meteor Shower opposite Amy Schumer and Keegan Michael Key.

Additionally, Benanti co-authored a comedic board book for mothers entitled M is for MAMA (and also Merlot): A Modern Mom’s ABCs, co-written with Metropolitan Opera Star Kate Mangiamelli, and created and executive produced the HBO Max special Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 based on her viral social media movement: #sunshinesongs. Benanti released a self-titled audio album for Sony Music Masterworks and tours the world performing solo concerts alongside highly celebrated musicians and orchestras.

Ms. Benanti is currently filming the Sony Pictures comedy No Hard Feelings opposite Jennifer Lawrence and Matthew Broderick, as well as The Shade based on the award-winning short of the same name.

“You can’t pin Laura Benanti down. Her shape-shifting sense of humor is immediately enchanting, but it turns out to be her secret weapon. She can feel like a goofy sister and then you blink and she’s breaking your heart. She’s dry and deadpan and then she’s full-throat laughing at something sad that happened to her. It’s disarming in the best way and the key to unlocking her talent. Her many facets keep the ground shifting and keep us from putting her in a box. It’s what makes her a great actor. By constantly surprising, she makes it seem like she can do anything.”

– Exeunt NYC, Review of Laura Benanti at Feinstein’s/54 Below

So Much Happening This Winter at The Concord Conservatory of Music!

January 11, 2023/0 Comments/in music /by pollymeyer

Exploring music’s role in developing children’s executive function

When you hear the first few beats of a favorite song, how do you respond? Do you start to tap out a beat, hum along, or feel particular emotions? It only takes those first moments to remind us of the power of music, and this power extends to all individuals, regardless of disability status. Many peer-reviewed scholarly articles explore and explain the varied benefits of musical education for children with developmental and intellectual disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research on the subject has been taking placefor over 25 years, and countless children have benefited from music classes. Read on to learn the ways your child can benefit from a developmental music class!

Improves communication skills

Music has been shown to effectively enhance verbal and nonverbal communication in children with developmental delays. Research fromMcGill University and Université de Montreal has found increased connectivity between auditory and motor regions of the brain, which are believed to be related to the significant improvements in children’s communication skills and family quality life reported by their parents. Music can even be used to support children’s literacy.

Provides a multi-sensory learning experience

While you may think of music as something comprised simply of sound, musical experiences are multisensory and thus provide a ripe opportunity to support children’s development. Through music-centered learning, children are encouraged to touch, hear, see, vocalize, and move, all of which aid in well-rounded development. The use of props, visual aids, and physical movement in addition to song keeps students engaged and excited!

Improves attention

The patterns in music canhelp children remain attentive, especially since many respond better to auditory cues rather than visual ones. There are different types of attention; these include sustained, selective, and alternating. Sustained attention the ability to continuously focus on something, selective attention is the ability to focus on something when other things are occurring in the room, and alternating attention is the ability to switch between tasks with different mental demands. Many children with ASD struggle with transitions and step-by-step routines, but integrating music has been shown to smooth transitions both physically and emotionally.

Looking for a fun and productive way to support your child with a developmental disability? Look no further than the Concord Conservatory of Music’s new Tones of Fun on Wednesdays, 4:30 – 5:15 for ages 3 – 6 and 5:15 – 6:00 pm for ages 7 – 9.The Concord Conservatory of Music is committed to providing equal access to music classes for all children.

Learn more and sign up!

978-369-0010

ConcordConservatory.org

1317 Main St, Concord, MA 01742