“Artists for Autism,” the Fredonia Music Industry program’s three-event showcase, climbed to the top of the charts as a win-win-win.
For starters, students gained real-world experience in event planning and promotion. Secondly, they helped to raise more than $29,000 for the Institute for Autism Research (IAR) at Canisius College. And lastly, Fredonia students gained valuable clinical experience, and needed resources will also be brought to the local area to serve children diagnosed with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD).
Students enrolled in HAIL! Fredonia Records, the Music Industry’s student record label, played key roles in the series that culminated with a sold-out concert headlined by the Grammy-nominated Goo Goo Dolls in Buffalo.
Fundraising got underway on campus with “Not So Different,” an autism awareness event held in association with Voices for Autism, which featured live acoustic music, raffles, guest speakers and activities, recently at the Williams Center Multipurpose Room.
The HAIL! Fredonia Records Events Committee was charged with handling every detail, from start to finish, explained Coordinator Mikayla Mendels. Her team recruited a diverse group of performers – the local acoustic duo Helari, the Buffalo reggae/blues group Redwood, the Outofar Trio Jug Band and Momentum Western New York Choir, comprised of adults with disabilities. Ms. Mendels, a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Music Industry, described the choir’s performance as “tear jerking, to say the least.”
Voices for Autism staged an Autism Spectrum Disorder Social Skills Clinic. Several campus groups also led activities.
This was a highly engaging experience because the events committee wanted to involve families who have children with autism, as well as members of the campus, to raise awareness for the program, explained Gabrielle Carr, an Events Committee member. “This meant reaching out to everyone we could: student clubs, campus leaders and faculty and community members,” she said. Local businesses were also contacted and asked to support the event through sponsorships and donations for the raffle basket.
Such an experience, noted Ms. Carr, a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Music Industry and minor in Jazz, revealed the essential role that connections play in achieving success, especially for such an event.
The student record label arranged for the exclusive CD release of “Not So Different,” by Ladies First, during Record Store Day at Record Theatre in Buffalo. On this single, the Fredonia musical collective of Cassandra Kubinski, a New York City-based singer/songwriter; and Mary Ramsey, a singer/vocalist with 10,000 Maniacs and Fredonia graduate; was joined by John Rzeznik, of the Goo Goo Dolls. Ms. Kubinski wrote the song to benefit autism programs and research.
Also involved with the “Not So Different” recording were Vic Anesini, a Fredonia graduate now working for SONY Records, who mastered the song, and Richie English, who did the orchestration. Background vocals were made in the Sound Recording Technology studios in Mason Hall.
“From designing the CD cover and the poster to setting up the events and arranging the catering for Record Store Day, the students did everything,” said Music Industry Program Coordinator Armand Petri.
The benefit concert that evening at SUNY Buffalo State’s Performing Arts Center featured an acoustic set by the Goo Goo Dolls plus performances by Jeff Ericson of 10,000 Maniacs; Tony Daniels, a School of Music staff member, and Fredonia alumnus John Caruso, Ms. Kubinski, Ms. Ramsey and Mr. Petri. All joined in a stirring presentation of “Not So Different.”
Samantha Quatsoe organized the “meet and greet” held before the concert, working directly with Jeff Marsha, the Performing Arts Center’s operations director.
“I have a great passion for live music, and any time that passion can be brought to work for a good cause is a gratifying experience,” explained Ms. Quatsoe, a senior Business Administration major with a Music Industry concentration. She wants to work in concert promotions, focusing on small-scale charity festivals.
“This experienced solidified that passion and has prepared me for the ‘big leagues,’” she said.
Thanks to the Artists for Autism’s success, faculty and staff at Fredonia, Dunkirk city schools and Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) will be able to replicate IAR’s evidence-based comprehensive psychosocial treatment, called summerMAX, in the county to benefit children diagnosed with HFASD, according to Marcus Thomeer, IAR co-director.
The focus of summerMAX is to teach social skills and provide multiple opportunities to practice those skills by specifically working on four main areas – social skills, interest expansion, interpretation of non-literal language and face and affect recognition.
While Fredonia does not have a formal working relationship with IAR, Laura Geraci, who coordinates Fredonia’s Childhood Inclusive Education program, has been working informally with IAR during the last two years. Dr. Geraci is hopeful that a grant she has requested can lead to a more formal relationship between Fredonia and IAR.
A local connection with IAR will allow for resources and collaboration to assist families and students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Geraci explained. Resources beyond those that individual schools currently provide are limited in the county, noted Geraci, whose area of research is Autism Spectrum Disorder. Fredonia teacher candidates are required to receive three hours of ASD instruction and will gain clinical experience.
Mr. Petri and his wife, Kim, know first-hand the success that IAR programs have achieved with HFASD children. Their son, AJ, attended three IAR programs.
“Dr. Thomeer and his staff made a difference in our son’s life, teaching and reinforcing interpersonal skills that AJ and children like him need in order to be happy, healthy and productive adults. Raising this money for the IAR is our way of giving back,” Kim Petri said.
The autism fundraisers were inspired by a guitar, signed by Kubinski, Ramsey and Rzeznik, that the Destination Imagination team at Clarence High School received last fall to raise money for the IAR.
