In Auburn’s College of Education, Professor and Music Program Coordinator Nancy Barry is living out her passion for providing enriching and empowering music education opportunities for all students.
In 2024, Barry established a music enrichment program for students with disabilities enrolled in the BraveHeart Center for Place and Purpose (BCPP), a joint outreach program of the Auburn University Social Work Program in the College of Liberal Arts and First Presbyterian Church of Auburn.
“Throughout my teaching career, I’ve been a strong advocate for music education for all students,” Barry said. “I was excited about BCPP as an opportunity to provide meaningful music experiences for BCPP students and opportunities for Auburn Music Education students to gain experience working with students with special needs.”
Each semester, the class meets once or twice weekly for eight weeks, culminating with an “Informance” concert—a performance format that engages the audience in understanding the student learning experience. Friends and family are invited, and BCPP students serve as performers and emcees, introducing songs and explaining activities.
Throughout the semester, Barry collects program evaluation data for her research so the program can serve as an example to inform and inspire music education practice. In addition, Auburn Music Education students have opportunities to observe and assist with BCPP classes throughout the semester, which Barry believes is an important experience.
“Students with special needs may not feel eligible to participate in school music at the secondary level when music courses typically involve large performing ensembles such as band, choir and orchestra,” Barry said. “I hope this provides an example of using appropriate accommodations to make the joy of music education accessible for all students.”
This semester’s “Informance” is set to take place on Thursday, April 2, and will be centered around the theme song, “I am a Fine Musician.”
“These delightful young adults have typically been told ‘you can’t’, but our Music Time program is about empowering them to believe they can,” Barry said. “Our theme song reinforces their self-efficacy, and we begin each session with the question, ‘Who’s a fine musician?’ to which BCPP students enthusiastically respond, ‘We are!’”
If there is one thing Barry would like the public to know about the music students of BCPP, it’s that the class is about celebrating what the students can do. Not only are the students learning to sing songs and play instruments, but they are also gaining a strong sense of self-confidence.
“The students are learning an increasing repertoire of different songs, playing instruments, learning vocabulary about music and sound, and gaining amazing confidence in performing and speaking for an audience,” Barry said. “The BCPP students were very nervous about our first “Informance” concert, but now they look forward to it every semester. It’s great to see how much their self-confidence has increased.”
Program Coordinator Angela Powell expressed how impactful these music classes have been in the lives of the BCPP students.
“Our community ambassadors (CAs) with intellectual and developmental disabilities benefit from music lessons with Ms. Nancy in so many ways—cognitively, emotionally and physically,” Powell said. “She sees the potential and strengths in each of them and works diligently to bring them out. Ms. Nancy gives our CAs who have never taken lessons or played an autoharp an opportunity to explore music in a brand-new way, hands-on and collaboratively. They absolutely LOVE Ms. Nancy!”
Visit the College of Education website to learn more about Auburn’s Music Education programs.