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5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 SEPTEMBER 2018 THIS WEEK MUSIC to be a natural at picking, read- ing music and applying her new acquired knowledge into prac- tice by playing the piano. Being assisted by a professional that could understand how an autis- tic brain works has been crucial as Alessia needs adaptations both for music and for academic work to be absorbed. This shows that given the right approach that caters to an individual's need, children with neurological difficulties are able to learn and at times even surprise us by be- ing exceptionally good. So was Alessia always a reference point for the overall direction of Music Speaks? Yes definitely, Alessia was from the very start what inspired us to organise this concert. Music has helped Alessia's development in an incredibly positive way. She is happy and herself when she walks into her music room. I admire her determination and perseverance. When practis- ing a difficult new piece she can get frustrated since there's an incredibly array of instructions that you need to follow and read when you're playing a musical instrument. So far, somehow, someway she has always man- aged to overcome these multiple obstacles and this gives us a lot of hope and determination to continue pursuing her dream. Music has made her become a complete person, it is part of her identity, it is her way of com- municating and her medium for potentially sharing some impor- tant messages with the world... which is exactly why we are or- ganising this concert. Through this concert we want to show what veritable inclu- sion is, and set an example for other entities – be they families, schools, organisations and the communities at large. Inclusion is not just placing a child with other neurotypical kids, but rather giving them the opportu- nity to shine and feel appreciated and loved, just like every other kid. On what criteria were the remaining artists chosen, and how do you believe this mix contributes both to the overall musical/ aesthetic feel of the concert, as well as the message it is trying to convey? All of the artists taking part in the concert have contributed in some way in Alessia's musical growth. Three of the artists are family members, my sister Mar- celle Zahra is a pianist and my constant point of reference for musical guidance, and Alessia's uncles; Borja Gómez-Ferrer is a tenor and Kriz Haze is an alter- native solo artist. The other two artists are Alessia's educators; Jess Rymer who teaches her mu- sic and imparts a huge amount of knowledge and understand- ing, as well as Tricia Dawn Wil- liams, who started giving Alessia piano lessons this summer. The concert repertoire we'll be presenting is colourful and var- ied, and includes genres from classical and contemporary to pop music. The audience will be able to experience a unique outlook on the power of music which we utilise as a means of communication and inclusion. How do you believe this concert, and perhaps others like it, can contribute towards raising awareness about causes such as autism? What kind of impact can music have in particular when it comes to hopefully instigating positive change? My sister, Marcelle Zahra who is a pianist, music educator and one of our performers says that music speaks louder than words; she strongly believes that one of the main attributes is that mu- sic is a medium through which we can reach goals which can be physical, emotional and cog- nitive. This concert will hope- fully enable us to send a positive message about autism and give society a glimpse into the life of an autistic individual. Doing so will hopefully make people more empathetic and understanding towards the condition. What do you hope people will get out of this concert, and do you see the initiative moving forward with similar initiatives in the future? We want to inspire people and urge the public to embrace our differences and promote inclusion by slowly changing negative attitudes and percep- tions. Hopefully, we can also be an inspiration to other par- ents who are struggling with finding a way of helping their children. We have had incredible feed- back from the public on the idea behind the concert already, which shows the need for similar initiatives to take place in the fu- ture. So far we have no concrete plans – this was a pilot project which gave positive results. Hopefully this will be the be- ginning of a long journey – you never know what the future will bring, but we will remain with our eyes open for any possibili- ties. Music Speaks will be tak- ing place on September 19 at De La Salle Palace, Valletta at 17:30. Bookings: HYPER- LINK "https://www.eventbrite. com/e/music-speaks-tickets- 48297374748"https://www. eventbrite.com/e/music-speaks. "Inclusion is not just placing a child with other neurotypical kids, but rather giving them the opportunity to shine and feel appreciated and loved, just like every other kid" Kris Haze Tricia Dawn Williams