The Big Shot Program
Big Shot Music and Creative Arts Program is a 12-week music program for autistic and neurodivergent adults, ages 18 to 64. We introduce singing, drumming, songwriting, and recording to build confidence, communication, friendship, and independence. We use music to help autistic and neurodivergent adults to communicate, connect, and build a sense of community. Making music in a group also builds a sense of community.
Program Goals
Through singing, drumming, instruments, songwriting, recording, and production, at a pace that fits each person.
Communication and self-expression, in whatever way works for that person. There is chance to create something original
Confidence, and the ability to speak up, make choices, and be heard.
Learning to notice and manage feelings, using music as a helpful tool.
Teamwork, patience, flexibility, and leadership, practiced in a calm setting.
Independence, built through routines, caring for equipment, following a schedule, and finishing tasks.
A look at music-related jobs, such as recording, sound, production, and event support.
Community involvement, so what participants learn here carries over into daily life.
A Typical Session
| Time | Activity | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 – 9:20 | Arrival & Check-In | Belongings put away, schedule reviewed, check-in on how they’re feeling. |
| 9:20 – 9:40 | Music Warm-Up | Breathing, movement, rhythm, or vocal warm-ups. |
| 9:40 – 10:25 | Core Instruction | Teaching the week’s music skill in a way that fits how each person learns. |
| 10:25 – 10:40 | Break | Snack, water, a sensory reset, and social time. |
| 10:40 – 11:20 | Create & Collaborate | Group music-making, songwriting, recording, or production work. |
| 11:20 – 12:00 | Perform, Lead & Reflect | Sharing what they created, leadership roles, and setting a goal. |
The Full Curriculum
Participants build rhythm and communication skills through check-ins, name rhythms, call-and-response, and basic percussion exercises in a group setting.
Participants practice breathing, posture, and vocal warm-ups, and use a microphone to introduce themselves.
Participants rotate through piano, guitar, bass, percussion, and keyboard, then choose an instrument and take part in a group jam session.
Participants practice keeping a beat, following a leader, starting and stopping as a group, and taking turns leading a rhythm.
Participants listen to different styles of music, identify emotions using words, AAC, gestures, or art, and create a piece that represents a feeling.
Participants brainstorm personal experiences, write or dictate lyrics, learn verse and chorus structure, and share part of an original song.
Participants explore beats, loops, and playback technology, build a simple beat, and record a short vocal or spoken part.
Participants practice studio etiquette, microphone technique, and recording procedures, and review their own playback with feedback.
Participants practice entering and exiting the stage, using a microphone, introducing a song, and developing individual stage presence.
Participants try roles such as sound assistant, music selector, greeter, and stage crew, reflecting that music-related work includes more than performing.
Participants run parts of rehearsal, support peers, solve small problems, exchange feedback, and confirm roles for the showcase.
Participants take part in a showcase, whether solo, in a duet, in a band, through spoken word, or in a behind-the-scenes role, followed by reflection on their progress.
Download a week-by-week breakdown of everything participants experience, from Week 1 through the Big Shot Live showcase.
The Studios
Breathing, pitch, melody, expression, microphone technique, and group singing.
Drumming, tempo, patterns, coordination, and call-and-response exercises.
Piano, guitar, bass, keyboard, percussion, and other instruments chosen by participants.
Lyrics, storytelling, rhyme, structure, and turning feelings into words.
Beats, loops, digital recording, and basic editing.
Microphone use, studio etiquette, and reviewing playback.
Stage presence, introductions, rehearsal, and audience communication.
Performances, service projects, and volunteering in the community.
Communication can occur through speech, AAC, writing, gestures, visual supports, or movement. A sensory break is a normal part of the session and is not treated as a problem.
Sensory-Friendly Environment
Skills practiced during music sessions extend into daily life. Participants practice arriving on time, preparing for the day, checking a schedule, and moving between activities. They practice following instructions with multiple steps, caring for shared equipment, waiting their turn, and sharing resources along with communicating needs, asking for help, and receiving feedback.
Growth does not stay inside the building. Participants may perform a short piece in the community, attend or watch a professional music event, or visit a recording studio or music venue. They may take part in community music activities, volunteer through a music-based service project, or practice introducing themselves to new people.
Working With Families & Regional Centers
A referral can come from a Regional Center Service Coordinator or from a family directly. Big Shot logs the referral quickly and sets up a meeting, usually within a day or two, to learn the person’s strengths, communication style, sensory needs, and interests.
Big Shot does not start paid services before written approval is in place. A phone call, email, or spoken agreement is not enough on its own.
Big Shot is a program under MVH Music Foundation, services are paid for by the Regional Center (such as Harbor Regional Center or Westside Regional Center) once approval is in place.
Every participant gets a plan made just for them, connecting their goals to specific activities, needed support, and how progress will be measured.
Once enrolled, staff watch for growth in communication, social interaction, musical skill, confidence, leadership, independence, and community involvement. A short showcase may take place at the end of a week or program cycle. Once a year, Big Shot Live brings participants together for a concert-style event with lighting and sound, attended by families, staff, and community partners with awards recognizing Musical Growth, Communication, Confidence, Leadership, Teamwork, Creative Achievement, Independence, Community Participation, Peer Support, and Personal Achievement.