A Voice to Listen To
November 27, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
34-year-old Charlene Sawyer has a “rich and dark mezzo soprano voice,” today’s Charlotte Observer notes. Sawyer was not diagnosed with autism until she was 17 years old. She started piano lessons and performing with school choirs at the age of 12, and has been taking voice lessons since she was 14. And
Around this time, she says, her peers made fun of her because they knew she took special education classes. Instead of the socializing she might have enjoyed as a young teen-ager, she immersed herself in her budding gift, learning pieces in Italian, Latin, German and French.
Sawyer has written an outline of her autobiography and now lives in a group home run by the Enola Group, whose director, Fredda Monroe, “says she wants to market Charlene to perform at weddings and to perhaps cut a CD of her singing.”
Heidi Thompson, a friend of Charlene’s who accompanies her to see opera performances in Charlotte and works with her at Studio XI, says Charlene told her she wants to “tell the story of what it’s like to be an artist with a disability.”
“Most autistic people can’t feel or express emotion,” Charlene says. “I do.”
It’s not stated clearly in the Charlotte Observer article: Is it through her singing, through music, that Sawyer is able to “feel” and “express emotion”—usic certainly seems to be such a medium for my son Charlie, from the days when him singing “Frere Jacques” signified that he was upset.
(No, he wasn’t singing that song tonight!)
Kristina,
Have you heard my friend’s intro to his NPR show?
His show will start airing on this station in NYC on December 5th.
My friend and I want others to show positive perspectives on Autism Spectrum Disorders as well.
I want to have a Big Brothers/Big Sisters for Adults who are Autistic for Younger Children who are Autistic to help them get through life easier.
I think it would be great.
What do you think?
Jason
@Jason, Hi—I still need to hear that broadcast, will this weekend.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters idea is great! Have you talked to anyone about getting it started?
Music sure is a special and wonderful way to communicate. When M was younger and did not talk as much she would often be able to get her words out better through singing. She also understood us better if we would sing certain requests. It was always very interesting to me. Like Charlie, Maizie has a great love of music.
“Most autistic people can’t feel or express emotion,” Charlene says. “I do.”
I’m surprised no one took offense at this. Perhaps I’m being too basic, but I understand a simple smile as a better communication of happiness than the grandest piece of music.
My daughter cannot play “Chopsticks”, but she can brighten any room with her smiles.
@Marla,
We always have some song or other being heard around here—I just ordered a Beatles songbook, so we can play some of those songs on the piano.
@mayfly,
I wonder if Sawyer’s statement would have been more noted if it had not been said by her—by someone without autism?
And, happily, Charlie’s smile appears much more quickly after a tough moment than it used to…..
I agree with Mayfly. I think Charlene is wrong about “most autistic people”. It probably comes from absorbing too much of what the literature says we’re *supposed* to be like. Amanda Baggs has written about this (eloquently, as usual).
And I sure hope it’s *Charlene*, not just Fredda Monroe, who wants to “market” Charlene!
Charlene is my sister, her love of music is the most genuine love one can have. She tends to express plenty of emotion to those she is comfortable with, but with music, she will express that same emotion with everyone. I know that there are all levels of autism, I would have to say that Charlene is really high functioning. She balances her own check book and graduated high school with the same credits that were required by all of us. I do not agree with all of the remarks that the news reporter made.
My sister has fought tooth and nail to detach herself from friends and family while growing up. I don’t know if it was my persistant mother or the fact that she was one of five children that helped her (or forced her) to interact with a lot of people and in turn forced her to express herself. We are all very proud of her and steal every chance we get to brag about her to anyone who will listen to us. We love you Charlens and we miss you. See you at Christmas!!