Hearts in Harmony String Instrument Program
for Children with Autism and related developmental disabilities and their families 

"Hearts in Harmony" is a new string instrument program for families with autism, in which children learn to play the violin, viola or cello in group lessons.

Group lessons are once a week for six weeks, and are taught by renowned bay area music teachers.  

From April to June classes have been mostly taught by the fabulous Thalea String Quartet at the Pomeroy Center in San Francisco.

Classes are open to any child on the autism spectrum or related disability, and also to parents to learn how to practice with their kiddo and also learn the instrument basics along with the child. Teacher-studio ratio is about 2:1.   

A recent brain study produced results that may show that music lessons can be good for children with autism (see below). ​Plus, they are fun for the kids, and the whole family! 
Hearts in Harmony 
by Autism Fun Bay Area

For questions, email:
​ info.autismfunbayarea@gmail.com
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
​HomeFun (not HomeWork) sheets, videos and more 
LOGISTICS

For Sessions 1 to 3 (April to July 2018), the weekly group lessons were held Mondays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at Pomeroy Center in San Francisco. 

We may offer new beginner's lessons in the Peninsula if there is sufficient interest, and funds.

Please fill out our survey if you are interested in either location
 

COST

In April to June 2018, the families were requested to contribute $150 per child for each six week session (parents learn with their child for free), and instrument rentals were around $30 per month. Some scholarships are made available for families in need, and a few instruments have been acquired by AFBA to loan to families for free.

AFBA subsidized the cost of the program to the extent possible, and families are requested to help pay for the teachers, and to rent (or buy) their own instruments.

We are currently fundraising to try to bring the cost of the program down for families, and to purchase instruments to able to loan the families for free or at a discounted rate.    ​

You're invited to donate here!

Testimonials

     Our 17-year old daughter is on the autism spectrum.  She loves music, so we put her in singing and piano classes, but she ism even crazier about violin, and has been asking for violin lesson for a long while. It’s been in our mind to find her an appropriate violin teacher, but we found it very difficult to find a good fit due to her fine motor skill limitation and low attention span. 
     When AFBA launched the Hearts in Harmony program, we were more excited than her, this is exactly what we have been looking for, a group lesson that’s customized for special need population, a professional String Quartet that’s fun and patient working our kids.  She so looks forward to the weekly class, to meeting her friends and teachers, and she has made progress, from not knowing how to hold the violin and bow at the beginning, to now be able to play simple tune with bow just in a few classes. It’s also great for us as parent to learn the instrument, and to have a place to support our kids and each other. Thank you, Autism Fun Bay Area, especially Steve for all your efforts and time to make this special program an amazing one. Looking forward for our kids to play a little piece together in the near future. Thank you.

                                                           ~ Julia
     Our son, Kevin, is enthusiastic in learning to play the viola!  Hearts in Harmony provides very family-oriented hands-on sessions.  As parents, we can participate with Kevin in the warm-up and rhythm exercises before the lesson begins.  (We particularly like how the quartet has made the rhythm lessons easy-to-remember, e.g. "wa-ter-mel-on,...snoo-py......dog" etc. ) 
     Kevin is all aglow, as he learns new things weekly about the viola. We cannot say enough about Luis, his viola teacher's kindness, patience and engaging manner.  Kevin takes great pride and diligence in practicing daily at home.  As his audience, we find his enthusiasm contagious!
     Our hats off to AFBA for providing this opportunity in allowing Kevin to be part of a musical community.  As parents we appreciate interacting with other families who have children on the autism spectrum.
     Thanks again Steve and Sigrid! You certainly are hearts in harmony!
                                                    ~ The Chus
​
Interested? 

In Fall 2018, if there is sufficient interest, AFBA will offer new beginner sessions in San Francisco, and hopefully in the Peninsula. 

Please fill out this survey if you are interested in joining us for the Fall 2018 session. 

Music Lessons Can be Good for the Autistic Child!

The Neuroimaging Laboratory (Italy) performed MRI imaging that showed that integrative activities that incorporate movement, sight, touch, or sound are often more effective than training or therapy directed to one modality at a time.  

That is to say, activities where the child can practice working with two or more of the things on this list, is more effective than just working on one of them at a time. So music lessons can be really good for kids with autism because they get to practice ALL of these - movement, sight, touch and sound -- at the same time!