{"id":41230,"date":"2025-04-15T16:44:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T21:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/?p=41230"},"modified":"2026-01-15T14:02:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:02:56","slug":"sounding-together-at-sensory-family-concert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/und-today\/2025\/04\/sounding-together-at-sensory-family-concert\/","title":{"rendered":"UND CONNECT: Sounding together at Sensory Family Concert"},"content":{"rendered":"

Crowd of nearly 100 moved with, and were moved by,\u00a0the music at first event in UND Sensory Family Concert Series<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Ling
Ling Lo, UND teaching assistant professor of Collaborative Piano and organizer of the first concert in the new Sensory Family Concert Series, addresses the crowd before an intermission at Christus Rex Campus Center on April 5. Nearly 100 people took part in the Saturday afternoon of music that featured guest pianists along with 21 ensemble students playing strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion. Audience members of all ages were encouraged to go with the flow \u2014 to get up and walk, dance or sway in whatever way the music took them. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bright natural light filters through the silk scarves that flit and float in a rainbow of red, yellow, purple and blue.<\/p>\n

\"Close
Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Large and little hands knead squishy squares, and neon bubble keychains go pop-pop-pop as the energized crowd of nearly 100 begins to stand, sway and sing along to the iconic disco song \u201cDancing Queen.\u201d<\/p>\n

This piano and ensemble concert inside Christus Rex Campus Center was not the scene of just any classical music concert. This was the first installment of UND\u2019s Sensory Family Concert Series hosted by the Department of Music<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The recent \u201cSpectrum of Sounds: Music Without Barriers\u201d performance on April 5 was an event for everyone, but especially for those with sensory conditions. The concert was made possible by\u00a0UND CONNECT<\/strong><\/a>, an initiative that provides faculty and students with opportunities to engage in community-based research and development projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first half-hour, I was super emotional, and I couldn\u2019t stop crying,\u201d said Ling Lo<\/a><\/strong>, organizer of the concert and teaching assistant professor of Collaborative Piano at UND. \u201cWhen people started to sing instantly, I had such joy because that\u2019s what we wanted to see.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried our best to make the seating feel comfortable \u2014 a little bit more casual \u2014 to make the audience feel like, \u2018Oh, this is less stressful and pretty open. I can move around and sing along.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Man
Members of the audience listen intently during the concert. The program was free and open to everyone, but it was designed especially with sensory needs in mind. Music students provided participants with fidget toys, scarves and noise-buffering headphones for those who wanted them. Stuffed animals of all kinds \u2014 elephants, tigers, llamas and the like \u2014 were stuffed everywhere in the concert space in theme with the concert\u2019s Disney Medley and \u201cThe Carnival of Animals\u201d piece. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Man
Unlike a traditional classical concert \u2014 where guests might be squished shoulder to shoulder and be expected to sit quietly in their seats \u2014 participants at the Sensory Family Concert were free to get up and move around as this fan did to inch closer to the front of the stage. Still other guests were more comfortable staying put or moving into the adjacent \u201cquiet room.\u201d Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018There\u2019s nothing but pure expression\u2019 at Sensory Family Concert<\/h2>\n
\"Stuffed
Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The interactive and sensory-friendly classical concert was the brainchild of Lo, who previously served four years as program assistant for \u201cCelebrating of Spectrum: A Festival for Music and Life\u201d at Michigan State University in East Lansing.<\/p>\n

In 2017, she presented the same program developed for young autistic pianists at an international autism conference in Limerick, Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole experience was really life-changing for me,\u201d Lo said in UND Today\u2019s preview of the concert<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cAs a universal language, music provides such a pure way for everybody to express their feelings. There\u2019s no difference, no judgment. There\u2019s nothing but pure expression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her colleagues are convinced.<\/p>\n

Justin Montigne<\/strong><\/a>, UND assistant professor of Voice and Musical Theatre, was in the audience as a friend, colleague and supporter.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Lo and I worked together last year when she was the assistant music director for the musical \u2018First Date,\u2019 and I immediately became her biggest fan,\u201d Montigne said. \u201cShe\u2019s not only an amazing musician, but she\u2019s also uniquely gifted in connecting with students, audiences and anybody she meets. She just does that.<\/p>\n

\"Guests
Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t surprise me that she wanted to create a concert like this to help all of us connect to the music and connect to each other. Her dream is big, and she\u2019s going to make a lot more out of it. I\u2019m excited that this type of concert is coming to Grand Forks. Clearly, there\u2019s a need for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montigne added that he spoke with a student who expressed the same. Precisely, the student said there\u2019s a \u201cdivide between classical music and the rest of the world that shouldn\u2019t be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that call for \u201cmore participation, more freedom and fewer rules has really lit our students up to see that things can be done differently \u2014 you can make music with different folks than we usually expect to make music with in the Hughes Fine Arts Center,\u201d Montigne said.<\/p>\n

\"Guests
Participants play with a silk scarf and a squishy ball during the Sensory Family Concert. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pianists
Guest artists and celebrated musicians Sangmi Lim (left) and Dino Mulic of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi started the concert out with a Disney Medley, followed by a piece from \u201cThe Lion King\u201d and medleys from \u201cMamma Mia!\u201d and \u201cThe Greatest Showman.\u201d The size of the crowd (below) ebbs and flows. Farther below, UND faculty members Joonghwa Lee and Soojung Kim enjoy the concert with their young children. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pianists
Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A first of sorts for Grand Forks community<\/h2>\n

Lo and her co-director, Melanie Popejoy, teaching associate professor and associate director of UND Choral Activities, said they had heard of metropolitan orchestras holding regular sensory-friendly concerts, but both believed the local concert was the first-of-its-kind for Grand Forks. As many as 30 patrons of Grand Forks\u2019 Listen Center were among the guests.<\/p>\n

The hourlong concert \u2014 complete with complimentary fidget toys, sound-buffering headphones and an adjacent \u201cquiet room\u201d \u2014 included 21 UND student ensemble performers and a four-hand piano duet and singalong Disney medley by guest artists Sangmi Lim and Dino Mulic of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we get older, we start to understand that the most meaningful projects are the ones that involve community,\u201d Mulic said. \u201cWhat makes this day very special is that everyone is welcome to participate in the music-making. At a typical piano recital, it\u2019s more formal. The artist is on the stage, and everyone else is listening quietly in the audience. While that\u2019s a great experience, it\u2019s not a real full music-making experience.<\/p>\n

\"Family
Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cToday, what we experienced was completely different. The audience took on almost an identical role, joining us in singing, clapping, dancing and cheering. We felt at one point that we were not even that important. The audience had a bigger role than just us, and we were both crying while playing because that really touched us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Popejoy: \u201cIt took the spark of Dr. Lo\u2019s dream, and the students in the room singing out loud to give everyone else permission because we\u2019re not used to that, right? Somebody threw their scarf up in the air, and that gave the rest of us permission to do the same. We all benefited from that open door.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ling
Ling Lo introduces the audience to the second half of the Sensory Family Concert, which was a special number called \u201cThe Carnival of Animals\u201d by Charles-Camille Saint-Saens. As part of the number, student musician Isaac Anderson (at podium below) colorfully narrated excerpts of poetry with permission from The Chicago Poetry Center. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"IsaacPhoto by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/span><\/p>\n

The concert came even more alive when student and junior Music Performance major Isaac Anderson began narrating \u201cThe Carnival of Animals\u201d piece with poems from The Chicago Poetry Center.<\/p>\n

More than once, the audience broke out in exuberant laughter as the theatrically gifted Anderson gave voice to a bossy lion, a ballet-dancing elephant in a pink tutu and a green tortoise who was \u201cslow, slow, slow, oh so slow. You are slow. You\u2019re so slow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me coming in, I didn\u2019t really know what to expect, to be honest,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cBut as soon as I started to see how the audience was responding to both the poem and the music, it really inspired me to feel a little bit more joyful in my own practice. I saw how they were smiling, and that made me want to smile, too. It reminds me of why I make music in the first place and why I do what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lo says she plans to continue the sensory concerts with the goal of one per semester.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything was beyond what I could have imagined. I can\u2019t even describe it in words,\u201d Lo said. \u201cThis is what musicians do. We spread joy, and if we can\u2019t do that, then why do we play? I\u2019m just happy we were able to express that joy together today.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key to this event is that it\u2019s so much more meaningful than the traditional concert. The students all feel that there\u2019s a greater purpose to this, and they\u2019re able to connect on a personal level.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Brass
Twenty-one students participated in ensemble groups during the concert. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s what some of the students had to say \u2026<\/h2>\n

Emily Chasowy<\/strong>, studying for a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting: \u201cThis concert meant a lot to me personally because I have a sister with autism and sensory issues. She absolutely loves music. Every time I\u2019m home, we have car karaoke concerts. I wish she could be here, but seeing everyone else with similar exceptionalities enjoying the music really made my heart happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah Thorlakson,<\/strong> Music major: \u201cIt was so meaningful, cool and unique to see how the music brought everyone together. It was very unifying and nice to see people from all different backgrounds come to just enjoy the music. They were able to be themselves without the fear of pleasing people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zoey Junker,<\/strong> sophomore Music Education major: \u201cThis was really special to me because I have family members who are on the spectrum. As a future music educator, it was great to see what I can do to be more inclusive in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will Hallbeck,<\/strong> Music major: \u201cOf course, any opportunity to make music in any space is great, but I think the music world can tend to be a little pretentious and a little shut off and clique-y. It\u2019s great to be able to open it up to as many people as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Keele,<\/strong> sophomore in Music Education: \u201cAs a future educator, I think this is especially important. We need to give that accessibility to everyone in the community who wants to listen and be touched by music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sydney Crockett,<\/strong> senior in Piano Performance: \u201cI teach piano students of my own, so I think it\u2019s especially meaningful when we can cater to the needs of everyone and not have such a strict setting. The audience participation is fun for everyone. It’s not like those long recitals where you have to sit still for hours at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

>> Music is for everyone. <\/strong>Lo says she hopes to organize a Sensory Family Concert each semester. If you want to learn more, reach Lo at ling.lo@UND.edu<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

>><\/strong>\u00a0Do you want to read more UND Today stories?\u00a0<\/strong>Just\u00a0hit the link<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or go to our home page to subscribe to our twice-weekly newsletter.<\/p>\n

\"Melanie
Ling Lo (right) and Melanie Popejoy, teaching associate professor and associate director of UND Choral Activities, co-directed the concert. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Table
Music students and concert greeters Bria Smithberg (from left), Meris Lindsay and Aubrey Mizerak hand out programs and other tools to squeeze and pop along with the music. Photo by Janelle Vonasek\/UND Today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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