JARC & DSO Musicians Present an Evening with the Symphony for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities & Sensory Sensitivities

What:                 

Through a generous private donation to  JARC, a metro Detroit based nonprofit agency that serves individuals with developmental disabilities, the local nonprofit is hosting an Evening with the Symphony, generously sponsored by The Ellen Labes Festival Series, in a sensory-friendly performance by musicians of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO).

Approximately 200 local adults with developmental disabilities, and particularly those with sensory sensitivities, and their caregivers will gather at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield to touch and experience instruments at a DSO instrument petting zoo, enjoy dinner and listen to specially selected sensory-friendly music by a sextet of DSO musicians.

The setting provides a serene venue for people with sensitivities who typically could not sit still or would feel overwhelmed in a typical auditorium setting, but instead allows guests to come and go as they need.

The event dovetails nicely with the DSO’s sensory-friendly programming, whose effort it is to make music accessible to everyone in a space that is supportive to their individual needs. The event was named in honor of Ellen Labes to recognize her long-time devotion to the people JARC serves. For more information on JARC, click here; for more information on the DSO click here.

Why:                 

As part of JARC’s ongoing work to provide new opportunities and experiences for persons with developmental disabilities, alongside the DSO’s desire to make music accessible to all people, this event was developed as the answer to how persons with sensory sensitivities can see and experience a concert.

The calmer music-conscious selections along with a setting where others are in the same situation help to make this concert a possibility for all. The music of the DSO’s sensory-friendly concerts is designed for individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other sensory sensitivities who may experience hypersensitivity to visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli.

Adjustments are made to the concert experience and environment so that audience members can enjoy a musical performance in a space that is more supportive to their individual needs.

Who:                  

Everyone within JARC’s large community was invited to this event, free-of-charge. Programs include group homes, Independent Living Services, Respite, Integrative Neighborhoods, and local families living with persons with developmental disabilities.

When:

Tuesday June 13, 2023 – here is the Evening with the Symphony sponsored by the Ellen Labes Festival Series schedule:

4:30 p.m: Guests begin arriving

4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m: Musical instrument petting zoo featuring a music educator

5 p.m: Dinner by Quality Kosher Catering

6 p.m. – 7:00 p.m: Music performance by DSO sextet

Where:              

Berman Hall located at Temple Israel –

5725 Walnut Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48323

Logo courtesy:  JARC