Upcoming Community Events
Sensory Friendly Hawaiian Music Concert | May 2nd, 2026, 2pm
We are seeking financial support for a Sensory-Friendly Hawaiian Music Concert to be presented on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM at The Rosette in Austin, Texas. Sponsored by Adaptive Music, hosted at The Rosette by Austin Classical Guitar (ACG), and supported and staffed by Lifelong Learning with Friends (LLwF), this event is intentionally designed to provide an accessible, welcoming, and high-quality live music experience for individuals with sensory sensitivities, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, and their families. Rather than modifying a traditional concert model, this performance is structured from the ground up around inclusion, psychological safety, and community belonging.
Hawaiian music provides a powerful artistic foundation for this experience. Its warm tonal palette, gentle rhythmic feel, and emphasis on connection and storytelling create an environment that supports both calm regulation and joyful engagement. The program will feature ukulele and guitar repertoire, traditional Hawaiian melodies, and contemporary island-inspired selections performed at moderated sound levels with partially raised lighting and flexible audience norms. Attendees will be free to move, vocalize, or take breaks as needed, supported by trained staff and volunteers experienced in inclusive community practice.
Financial support will allow us to ensure that this concert remains accessible and affordable to participants while covering essential costs such as artist compensation, production needs, accessibility supports, staffing, outreach, and event coordination. Funding will directly support equitable access to live music for a community that is often underserved in traditional arts spaces. It will also strengthen a collaborative model that brings together Adaptive Music’s inclusive artistic framework, Austin Classical Guitar’s venue partnership, and LLwF’s established disability community network.
This concert is more than a single afternoon performance—it represents a replicable model for inclusive arts programming in Austin and beyond. With financial partnership, we can not only present this event with excellence and care, but also build momentum toward future sensory-friendly concerts and expanded community-based music access. Your support would directly contribute to creating a space where artistry and accessibility are not competing priorities, but shared values, and where every participant is welcomed in the spirit of aloha—connection, dignity, and belonging.
Budget Outline
Sensory-Friendly Hawaiian Music Concert
May 2, 2026 | The Rosette – Hosted by Austin Classical Guitar
Artist Compensation
- 3 Musicians @ $200 each ........................................ $600
- 1 Dancer ................................................................. $250
Subtotal – Artist Fees: $850
Materials & Production
- Sheet Music & Arrangements .................................. $25
- Printed QR Codes & Signage ................................... $25
(Digital program design secured – in-kind)
Subtotal – Materials: $50
Estimated Total Budget: $900
New Book: Access Over Mastery
Access Before Mastery Is Now Available
I’m excited to share that my book, Access Before Mastery, is officially complete and now available on Amazon.
This book has been years in the making, shaped by my experiences as a musician, educator, and someone deeply committed to creating more inclusive and meaningful musical spaces. What began as a shift in how I approached teaching gradually became something much bigger—a rethinking of what music is, who it’s for, and how we create environments where people can truly connect through it.
Access Before Mastery challenges the idea that music is something you have to earn through skill or training. Instead, it explores what becomes possible when access comes first—when people are invited into music from the very beginning, regardless of ability or experience.
Throughout the book, I share stories, reflections, and ideas centered around:
- participation over perfection
- listening as a foundation for connection
- music as a tool for building community
- and the belief that music belongs to everyone
This is not just a book about music education. It’s a book about people—about how we relate to one another, how we create space for others, and how music can help us become more connected, more aware, and more human.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey—students, participants, colleagues, and community members who have shaped this work in ways I could never have imagined on my own.
If you’re interested in inclusive education, community building, or simply a new way of thinking about music, I hope this book resonates with you.
You can find Access Before Mastery now on Amazon.
Thank you for being part of this work.
— Kirk Guthaus
Book available here