At 19, Justin Brown is an award-winning musician and composer. Recently, he traveled to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and played the piano for an enthusiastic audience. At his high school in New Jersey, he was honored as its “most outstanding musician.”
Justin’s parents are really proud that their son is now a sophomore at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. His mom, Monica, says Justin’s goal is to graduate with a Bachelor’s of Music in classical piano performance.
“He loves to listen to music of all genres. Justin tells us he hears music in his inner being, and composes when he has time. He has matured into such a wonderful human being and has always been such a great big brother to his sister Serena,” adds Monica. “Justin has a love of God and loves to be around people. He’s a hard worker and an exceptional son.”
It’s clear that autism never defined Justin — or his sister, Serena.
Serena, 16, is bright and articulate. The high school junior loves to dance, enjoys Japanese music, pop songs, and Avon catalogues.
Her mom says, “She so loves life. Her name means ‘peace.’ She is passionate about social causes and loyal to those she chooses as a friend. We celebrated her sweet 16 birthday party last spring, and she was absolutely so precious that day that she literally had everyone in tears. She is simply remarkable and adores her older brother.”
When she was 3, Serena demanded to sleep on the floor of Justin’s room for months at a time, instead of her own bed.
And like her peers, she can’t wait to go to college, where she wants to major in communications and minor in music. Serena dreams about a career in media relations. She hopes to get into TV reporting one day.
The siblings come from a happy, close-knit New Jersey family with strong ties to New York City. Married for 25 years, their parents, Monica and Elvis, grew up in Brooklyn and the Bronx, respectively. Dad worked as a software engineer for more than 20 years and currently works in Manhattan’s Financial District. Mom worked as a registered nurse before choosing to stay home to raise her kids, and says she has no regrets.
Despite autism’s powerful grip on their young lives, both siblings were able to achieve their highest potential. But when they were tots, the surprising diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in both of them almost dismantled their parents’ hopes for their children’s futures.
Other parents who have come to terms with a similar diagnosis know all too well what that “punch in your stomach” feeling does to your psyche and how surreal it all seems — until you catch your breath and start dealing with and moving forward in your new reality.
The Brown family did its best to get help for the kids, although many times, it was an uphill battle. Their faith kept them strong, and then the magic of music was introduced into Justin and Serena’s lives, forever changing their destinies.
Help came in the form of a compassionate local music teacher and occupational therapist. Karen Kowalski, an instructor at Rutgers University’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, teaches piano to children with special needs, at the Somerville School of Music in New Jersey. This is where she taught the Brown children. (Serena still sees her, but Justin has graduated.)
“I met Karen [in 2004] through a program called the Very Special Arts in Somerset, New Jersey. I felt Justin was gifted in piano, and having no musical background myself, I wanted someone to evaluate his talent,” Monica recalled.
So she called the Somerville School of Music where Karen worked (and still teaches part-time), and was asked to bring Justin in.
For more than 15 years, the classical pianist has made it her life’s work to help people who happen to be struggling with a variety of disabilities — autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome — and teach them to play the piano.
She observed something miraculous: her students’ verbal and motor skills began to improve, while they showed progress in other areas of their lives. Suddenly, they could connect with the world in ways they hadn’t been able to before!
When Kowalski first met the Brown family, Serena and Justin were 5 and 8. After years of frustration and trying many forms of therapy, their parents’ prayers were answered when their kids started to play the piano and embrace a new musical experience that would ultimately transform them.
In a recent telephone interview, the music instructor indicated that she observed many positive changes along the way and felt that Justin and Serena were exceptional in terms of their abilities and how far they’ve come. (Kowalski didn’t provide occupational therapy.)
Monica said, “Karen has become a very special part of our family and a dear friend.”
So, what was that process like for the siblings?
Monica recalled that Kowalski was impressed by Justin’s “gift” and started him with adult piano lesson books and warmup exercises, stressing the use of the metronome.
“She would take lessons from various books focusing on techniques, theory, performance, and composing, and at times, would accompany him on piano,” says Monica.
Kowalski is the author of “Playing it Their Way: An Innovative Approach to Teaching Piano to Individuals with Physical or Mental Disabilities,” a guide for other piano teachers who wish to teach children with special needs. Her work combining music and occupational therapy is the subject of a paper she is working on this year.
“I do not teach just classical music, as I have the ability to teach a variety of genres of music — really, I look at what the individual is most interested in learning and take it from there,” Kowalski explained. “I have taught everything from Chopin and Beethoven to Scott Joplin to Elton John, the Beatles and Bruno Mars.
“I typically use a combination of traditional music education series (such as Kjos, Alfred or Bastien method series), which I then adapt, and then also have put together adapted music, which contains a color coded system so the individual can better understand right from left hands and position of notes on the pian,” she adds.
Monica recalled that before Justin started working with his favorite music teacher, he was just finishing his elementary third-grade school year with inclusion classes. She said he spent the summer at a specialized camp for children to help support his needs. And Serena was in the midst of transitioning back into their district’s elementary school. She had completed her program at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center of Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Many opportunities have opened up for Justin and Serena.
They have performed for the local food bank, churches, at a Passover Seder, fine arts festivals in North Carolina, Florida, and Michigan, and have participated in various charities and fund-raisers. They have also competed in the New Jersey Branch of the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics in Texas and Florida.
Ask any parent who has a child with a disability, and she’ll tell you that a communication barrier is difficult to overcome.
“Music brought my children back to me!” says Monica. If she could, she says she would probably yell it from the rooftop of her family’s home. It allowed Serena and Justin’s mom to communicate with them. She said the piano made her children more focused and open, and she believes that in their music, they found their voices.
A two-minute video: “Piano Helps Autistic Children Find Their Voice” (http://bit.ly/11o2hud) details the Brown family’s transformation through music. It features Justin, Serena, and Kowalski discussing their relationship with this therapy — even more impressive when the viewer knows that at age 9, Justin was mute.
Kowalski, who has formed a special bond with the Brown family, pointed out that one exciting milestone in the siblings’ musical journey was their ability to perform their music in front of a large audience and have eye contact. Most people would never even attempt it.
They bowed, smiled, and engaged with their audience, both verbally and through their music.
“At our music studio, we have concerts twice a year,” said Kowalski. “They also perform at a benefit to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.”
Children with autism face a lifetime of challenges and have a lot more on their plates than many of their peers. Kowalski noted that verbal expression seems harder for Justin, and he can’t always tell people what he feels; that’s why, she says, the piano is so effective and powerful.
She explained that while Serena expresses herself more, she has a harder time establishing friendships because interpreting nonverbal communication may be difficult for her, but indicated that since Serena is very verbal and has that internal drive, she’ll do very well in her career choice.
There are many kids like Justin and Serena who have made great strides. You just never know how far your child can go developmentally, unless, like Monica, you try different therapies, and music therapy seems to be effective, according to experts. (See part 2 of this look into music therapy and its benefits for special needs children.)
Kowalski described Serena and Justin as a “once-in-a-lifetime brother-and-sister pair,” and said she had “many other students who have a strong interest in music, and the ability, but none like Justin, in particular. He’s exceptional, because he wants to become a pianist.”
She also pointed out that like all people, those on the spectrum have all kinds of abilities and can participate in activities they find interesting, and eventually adapt.
“The story of Justin and Serena is an excellent example of that.”
These days, Justin is preparing himself for his second semester of required music classes and is learning Italian. His father hopes he will continue on with his math.
“On occasion, he performs at our local church and other community venues. He presently drives to school when the car is available. Justin’s hope is to work in a job where he will showcase his musical talents,” said Monica.
“Serena is completing her junior year at Franklin High School. She just finished her color guard season with her band class and is preparing to perform with the band class in the Disney World parade. She had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii and perform with her high school Keyboard Ensemble class,” says Monica. And Serena is looking forward to traveling to New York to tour with her piano class.
Serena is also part of the Newspaper, French, Yearbook, and Anime clubs.
Monica said Serena “wants to be in front of the camera one day. We bought her a video camera and finally, she is able to start taking some film classes at the high school.” And she loves languages, as well, and is presently taking French, and hopes to learn Chinese, Japanese, German, Italian, and Latin!
The aspiring TV reporter is in the process of looking at colleges and preparing to take the SATs. Mom says Serena may work as a music accompanist and counselor for their school district, taking care of young children during the summer.
“The children and I were fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to New York City with their high school keyboard class,” said Monica. “Their trip itinerary included the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Steinway Museum, Radio City Music Hall, and ‘Wicked.’ ”
“We enjoy the shows, festivals, and NYC’s kaleidoscope of people, cultures, and food,” she said.
The Brown family visits the city often; they have family and friends living here.
“We love to visit the city with our kids,” said Monica. “We have in the past, celebrated my son’s birthday at Dave and Busters in the Times Square area and a previous birthday surprise for Serena, the Broadway show, ‘Mary Poppins.’ We took Justin and Serena to see ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ in December. That show was awesome. My kids were able to relate to the main character’s ‘uniqueness.’ ”
Parents who wish to consult with Karen Kowalski, author of “Playing It Their Way: An Innovative Approach to Teaching Piano to Individuals with Physical or Mental Disabilities,” may contact her at zieli
