Throughout Why Music? you will be introduced to representative children for whom the sense of “energy-gearing” (as it relates to music) is the defining moment. Gearing is the thought of an action and the body’s adjustment to it. The release of energy which travels forward from this sense of gearing and onto and into its intended destination results in a wholeness-of response. In other words, something is ignited within and travels to a destination outside of oneself. The matter of a wholeness-of response is what is so difficult for children with neurological disorders defined as autism.

In this book the study of energy and motion as it is found in all life, but applied specifically to music in this setting, is presented. It is the study of Creative Motion, which provided the grounding of Twila M. Miller’s work with such a diverse population.

About the Author

In the year 2000, Twila M. Miller married a wonderful man. Moving from the heartland of the United States, Indiana, they traveled to a whole new destination, Jacksonville, Florida. This location, filled with an abundance of flora (as the state name implies), also laid rich soil on her professional path. It was in the fall of 2007 when Miller joined the staff and students at the Jacksonville School of Autism that an unexpected journey unfolded before her. As she embraced this moment in time, it provided her with the opportunity to see children grow and flourish through the gift of music in ways that were being discovered each day. The biggest surprise has been the resounding, continuous moments of great joy. Outside of this environment, joy is also found in keeping up with her five adult children and their spouses and twelve amazing grandchildren.