• Celebrating the Spectrum participants work on a piece of music with a student mentor. image

    Celebrating the Spectrum participants work on a piece of music with a student mentor.

  • Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar Randy Napoleon works on improvisation with Celebrating the Spectrum pianist Dexter Schroeder. image

    Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar Randy Napoleon works on improvisation with Celebrating the Spectrum pianist Dexter Schroeder.

  • Deborah Moriarty works with Kodi Lee during a master class. image

    Deborah Moriarty works with Kodi Lee during a master class.

  • image

  • Ian Gray, MSU’s former Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, speaks to recital attendees. image

    Ian Gray, MSU’s former Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, speaks to recital attendees.

  • Celebrating the Spectrum participants observe Derek Polischuk as he works with Kalil Olsen in a master class image

    Celebrating the Spectrum participants observe Derek Polischuk as he works with Kalil Olsen in a master class

    Celebrating the Spectrum: 
    A Festival of Music and Life.

    An annual week-long festival in July, Celebrating the Spectrum, is held at the College of Music on the beautiful Michigan State University campus. The festival is designed to give qualified advanced pre-College students on the Autism Spectrum a preview of a life in music. 

    The student’s daily schedule reflects the life of a music major in a university or conservatory setting culminating in two live performances. The first, a “house concert,” gives the students an intimate setting to try out their performances prior to the Grand Finale Concert in Cook Recital Hall.

    All students perform daily in master classes conducted by College of Music piano faculty Professor Deborah Moriarty and Dr. Derek Polischuk. Classes are devoted to solo repertoire as well as piano four hand repertoire.

    2020 Celebrating the Spectrum Dates

    • July 12, Sunday, Student Welcome and Arrival
    • July 13, Monday, Mentor Concert, featuring performances by program assistants (time and location to be announced)
    • July 17, Friday, Donor Concert and Dinner, private event (time and location to be announced)
    • July 18, Saturday, Public Concert (time and location to be announced)

    Recap of past programs

    Video: The 2019 Celebrating the Spectrum program featuring Kodi Lee

    Article: Bursting with Joy: the 2018 Celebrating the Spectrum program

    Article: 2017 Celebrating the Spectrum Program and Concerts

    Article: 2016 Celebrating the Spectrum Program and Concerts

    Video: 2016 Celebrating the Spectrum

     

    Please visit the Celebrating the Spectrum Giving page to learn more about how you can help support this program.


    Celebrating the Spectrum: A Festival of Music and Life is sponsored by Michigan State University as part of the C-RAIND Program, with generous support provided by the MSU Office of the Provost, Lauren Harris, and corporate sponsor the MSU Federal Credit Union. Additional support has been provided by the Frances Baldwin Mulnix Endowment Fund at MSU and the Michigan Teachers National Association. Special thanks to Dean Transportation for generously providing all transportation needs for festival participants. 

    Private support helps provide dollars to sponsor each student participant, enabling them to attend the festival tuition free. Funds also cover stipends for College of Music student mentors who buddied-up with the festival participants. To make a contribution to support this unique and powerful music festival, see our Celebrating the Spectrum giving opportunities.