Tips for Making Music Performances Sensory-Friendly and Inclusive

Abstract

In today’s society, major arts organizations and other large-scale public venues are making additional accommodations for persons with disabilities beyond those under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Often termed “sensory-friendly,” this approach makes it easier for individuals with sensory sensitivities to participate in social activities and community events. However, we rarely see similar efforts occurring in school-based music performances. Therefore, we set out to create an inclusive concert experience that welcomes all persons to attend regardless of their sensory, mobility, or other needs to benefit everyone—the students, the families, the school, and the community. During our journey, we realized several components were essential to the overall success of our concerts. In this article, we share five tips that may help you feel more confident implementing something similar in your school.

One day I walked into a local elementary school to observe fieldwork in a self-contained classroom and noticed a line of buses in front of the building and swarms of students loading up. Remembering the local orchestra was hosting its annual “kids’ concert” performance that day, I took a moment to watch the excitement and glee surrounding the field trip. A few minutes later, I entered the self-contained classroom and could not help but ask if any of the students from this class were attending. The immediate response from the veteran teacher was that her students were never included in this outing. I was shocked, and at that very moment, I decided to create a way for students with disabilities in the local schools to experience live music.

It did not take long to realize that I had no idea how to go about this task, so I called a mentor to help. During our research, we found information about a new approach called sensory-friendly concerts that a few arts organizations were implementing. The Kennedy Center (Ideishi et al., 2013) defined this type of performance as a “musical experience customized especially for patrons who have sensory sensitivities.” This organization’s website also provided a document that answered many questions about how to plan this type of concert.

Since we wanted to do it right, it took us over a year to plan our first concert, as there was no actual model to follow. Although The Kennedy Center provided an excellent blueprint for large arts organizations, we had to transfer that information and make it workable for a small local school program. Among the changes we made was to the definition, which we expanded to welcome all persons to come to the performance regardless of their sensory, mobility, or other needs. This expansion was necessary as we wanted the concert to benefit everyone—the students, the families, the school, and the community—by being fully accessible. We also started making a list of essential things we deemed incredibly important to the overall success of our version of a sensory-friendly concert and would like to share five takeaways that may help you implement something similar in your school.

Consider Your Venue

The first takeaway we learned was that the venue location was the most important thing to consider, and must be taken care of prior to any other planning. This is because the venue is where most of the accommodations and modifications occur; so, if the location cannot support those changes, you obviously cannot plan a sensory-friendly program in that space. Whether you use a traditional auditorium, a local church, or have the pleasure of the caf-i-torium experience, it is important that you have control over the following things.

• Seating—Fixed seating may not be accessible for everyone in your audience. Therefore, be sure that various types of seating—like additional chairs, chairs without armrests, and space around chairs—are available.

• Lighting—It is not always possible to control the lighting in your venue, but we found that it is most important to leave lights on throughout the program (or at least partially dim), as complete audience darkness or rapid light changes may be triggering.

• Access to Quiet Space—Sensory overload is one of the primary reasons adaptive concerts exist, so designate a room nearby the concert venue where families can quickly go to take a break from the performance if needed.

• Sound—Keeping sound levels consistent during a music performance is not only a challenge but unrealistic. However, it is possible to identify loud, unpredictable sounds (e.g., drums, chanting, shouts) before the concert so you can alert audience members. You could also encourage people to bring their headphones/earplugs if needed.

• Accessible Bathrooms—Most bathrooms in schools are accessible; however, ensuring these are close to the venue entrance or their location(s) are clearly marked is helpful.

• Accessible Entrances/Exits to the Venue/Parking—Again, these are often already part of your school’s layout, but it is important to label and share them with the community before the performance.

• Space for Movement—Providing additional space within the venue for people to stand, walk, or move if necessary is essential. Although this is probably the most controversial accommodation, as it goes against all the traditional etiquette protocols, persons experiencing sensory overload require this type of space, which often goes beyond what is available in the aisles.

Repertoire

The next takeaway we learned was determining what repertoire suits itself for a sensory-friendly format. As general music educators, we understand the repertoire is more than just the chosen music; it also includes the different activities, movements, instruments, etc., that accompany or create the performance. However, not every song/activity/movement/instrument is appropriate for a sensory-friendly program, so it is important to consider the following:

• How Many Sensory-Friendly Concerts per Year?—You may not be ready to make every program sensory-friendly, and that is ok, so we suggest starting with one per year. We hope that after doing this once, you will gain the confidence to do additional programs in the future.

• How to Decide Which Concert?—Take a moment and write down all of the concerts and programs you do in a year; specifically, what activities and music are typically expected of you and your students. This will help you determine which program lends itself to making accommodations and modifications the easiest.

• What Activities Should Be Planned?—Next, begin to plan the types of activities you will include. Be cautious of choices that might have sudden changes in volume or excessive movement. We are not suggesting that you water down any of your repertoire and/or activities, we only ask that you think about how everyone will access this music when planning (Lee, 2020).

• How Much Repertoire Should Be Planned?—Sensory overload can occur when an activity takes too long. Therefore, we recommend planning roughly 30–45 min of repertoire, which should include all of the transitions that occur during the performance. Remember, people planning to attend your concert must consider the total performance time, which, for many, consists of the amount of time necessary to travel, park, walk to the venue, find seats, wait for the performance to begin, the actual performance, and the return home.

• Do Not Forget to Share in Advance!—Be sure to announce your sensory-friendly program so that people can plan. This is going to be great—so everyone needs to know about it!

Audience Expectations

The third takeaway revolves around concert etiquette, and how it differs in a sensory-friendly environment compared to what is traditionally taught.

The culture of attending live performances can be unforgiving for those who are unable to conform to the standard concert etiquette of quietly sitting still for extended periods, including those who may express emotions such as joy or excitement through vocalization (Detroit Symphony Orchestra, 2023).

In a sensory-friendly environment, a more casual approach to etiquette is central for a safe and judgment-free concert experience (Philadelphia Orchestra, n.d.). As classically trained musicians, this change in expectation was the hardest for us personally because it was so ingrained; however, we found a relaxed attitude to be a central component. Below are our suggestions on how to adjust audience expectations:

• Applause/Happiness/Noise—Our concerts are not quiet, and we love it! The buzz of excitement and people expressing their happiness and enjoyment exactly when they feel it is the type of environment we promote. So, even though these moments may not happen at the traditionally appropriate times and often occur randomly throughout the program, we welcome the noise.

• Talking—We are not advocating for you to allow full-blown conversations during your program; but you should be prepared for audience members to make audible sounds for varying reasons.

• Moving—It is not always possible for people to remain seated when they experience overstimulation. Therefore, when you see overt movement within the audience, understand this can occur when individuals need to regulate sensory input.

• Electronic Devices—A hard ban on no electronic devices may not be appropriate, as some audience members may use their device to communicate.

• Again, Do Not Forget to Share in Advance!—The changes to these expectations are important for audience members to know and understand before the concert takes place. This can be done through school email, social media blasts, and local media outlets. It could even be something as simple as making an announcement at the beginning of the program to set the tone for an inclusive environment and a more relaxed approach to etiquette.

Performer Perspective

Although traditional concert expectations are not quite as ingrained in elementary-aged children, it is still important to share the reasons for choosing to do a sensory-friendly concert with your students and any possible changes they may experience. Below are a couple of talking points to help guide your discussions with your students:

• Why Are Things Changing?—Inform your students of why you are doing a sensory-friendly performance. The obvious reason is because it is the right thing to do and reflects what the students are experiencing in their classrooms. People perceive music in different ways and by providing an inclusive concert, we can be sure that we are supporting everyone in our audiences in a way that is safe and joyful.

• How Will Things Change?—Most likely, there will be little change to what the students do during the actual performance, as the real differences occur with the audience in the venue while the concert is happening. Therefore, it is important to explain to the students the things you have modified to make the experience fully inclusive.

Collaboration is Key

Just like we collaborated together in our search for creating a sensory-friendly concert, it is important to partner with others in your school and community to support your efforts. We found there were many people who wanted to see this type of program succeed, many more than we could have envisioned. Therefore, our last takeaway is to not be afraid to reach out to those that could help. These persons include:

• School Administrators—It is important to get your administration involved early in the process. Some administrators have personal expectations on what musical performances should or have looked like in their schools in the past. We hope that it would not take much convincing to transition one program to be sensory-friendly, but you must start with your administration. Once on board, they could help you access any available resources you may require.

• Special Education Colleagues—The next group of people to talk with are the special education teachers and school counselors in your building. They may help you collect information about the specific needs of the students, as well as the families who may be most interested in a sensory-friendly performance opportunity. Additionally, they have expert knowledge on how to adapt and modify and have access to the equipment you may want in the venue and quiet room to serve the audience best.

• Parent Teacher Organization—It is possible that you may need additional funding to ensure that your program is successful. Outside of the music budget that is typically provided by the school, the volunteer parent organization can be a supportive resource. This group can also aid in marketing and spreading the word about your amazing sensory-friendly program!

• Community Support—We learned during our planning that organizations outside the school had a genuine interest in our sensory-friendly concert. These organizations included adult daycare facilities, group homes, after-school care programs, therapy centers, and other government-funded agencies serving people with disabilities. In addition to having clients who were interested in attending the program, facilities within the community were happy to provide resources and support.

Conclusion

Today, you can find sensory-friendly performances in major symphony orchestras and ballet companies. You can even find sensory accommodations at professional sports teams’ stadiums, airports, and character meet and greets. However, we rarely see similar efforts occurring in school-based music performances. Free public community music-making is happening in our schools, and we firmly believe that all people should have equal access to this type of performance. Music educators do not intentionally try to prohibit people from attending concerts but often can be unintentionally exclusive. Just like we make accommodations for the students in our classes, we must learn to extend the same practices to those attending our concerts. After reading this article, we hope you feel confident in making music programs accessible and, therefore, a more positive ex-perience for all.