Providence Music Department to Host Sensory-Friendly Christmas Concert

This Christmas season, the Providence Catholic Music Department is making the holidays a little merrier with a special sensory-friendly concert.

“We chose to create this sensory-friendly concert to share the joy of celebrating Christ’s birth through music!” says Dr. Stacy Eckert, Director of Choirs, Liturgical Music, and Theatre at Providence Catholic.

At the Illinois Music Educator Conference in January, Dr. Eckert says a fellow music educator told stories of his difficulty in finding cultural events to take his young sons who had specific needs. “He very strongly urged us to create sensory-friendly cultural events because such events are needed and wanted,” she says. “Our Administration heartily agreed to my suggestion for a specifically designed Christmas Concert. I contacted Lauren Pammer of Bee You Therapy, LLC and we discussed how to create the best environment and programming. Our band director, Kyle Baltzer, and I are working together to provide a wonderful experience for attending families.”

The sensory-friendly concert will take place at 6:30 PM on December 6, 2023 at Providence Catholic in the Sacred Heart Gym. It is free and open to the public. There will be sing-alongs and a few other audience participation opportunities.

As for what the Providence Catholic musicians are most excited about? “The audience!” says Dr. Eckert.

For more information on the Music Department at Providence Catholic, visit www.providencecatholic.org.