John Frizzell
A professional music composer and musician, John got a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 as an adult. “There’s something about bluegrass; It’s such pattern-oriented music, it’s [so] detail oriented. The hyper focus is so effective in practicing and learning bluegrass. It just seems like a natural fit,” he said. That got Frizzell working with CBA regarding what an inclusive meetup for fellow musicians on the spectrum might look like.
Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, a clinical professor at UCLA, says it’s no secret that music can be a really powerful form of communication. “This can be particularly true for those who have difficulty with spoken language or social interactions, which is true for many autistic people. And so there have been many studies which have shown that things like music therapy can improve things like social engagement,” Laugeson added.
CBA created the Spectrum Bluegrass program to ease the challenges and amplify the enjoyment of bluegrass for neurodiverse people by creating an active community where we explore new pathways to express ourselves and connect.