I Too Sense Music! 2nd Edition

The campaign “I Too Sense Music! – Music Therapy for Children with Deafblindness and Multisensory Impairments,” now in its second edition, once again brought joy, vibration, and connection to partner schools across the country.

As every year, it was dedicated to the memory of Vasile Adamescu, teacher, artist, writer, and advocate for the rights of people with deafblindness.

Among the campaign’s objectives are the multisensory stimulation of children with deafblindness and multisensory impairments, the development of their socio-emotional skills, and the creation of a safe and stimulating environment where they can explore, experiment, and express emotions through music.

In the second edition, 626 children participated in music therapy activities, alongside 294 teachers, parents, siblings, and volunteers.

Preschoolers and pupils took part in musical games, rhythm and movement exercises, music listening sessions, and sound exploration activities using musical instrument kits donated by Sense Internațional România, being encouraged to perceive music not only through hearing but also through vibrations, movement, and tactile contact.

Under titles such as “I Feel the Music in My Hands,” “Rhythms of Friendship,” “Instruments That Speak,” and “The Dance of Vibrations,” the children explored instruments with strong vibrations – drums, ocean drums, angogo bells, kalimba, vibraslap, cajon, vibrating xylophone, or handbells – guided through tactile contact and vibratory signals.

Activities of this kind contribute significantly to the development of communication skills in children with deafblindness and multisensory impairments, providing them with alternative ways to express themselves through vibration, rhythm, and tactile interaction. Although the campaign took place in December and January, its impact does not stop there. Both the musical instruments from this edition and those from the first edition continue to be used in individual therapy sessions, group games, or simply as moments of relaxation, becoming an integral part of the educational and therapeutic process.

The campaign “I Too Sense Music!” demonstrates that music therapy is an effective method for stimulation and communication, creating a safe, expressive, and inclusive environment where children can feel the music and interact with others, contributing to their emotional, social, and sensory development.

On 3 December, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the campaign included the online workshop “I Too Sense Music – Music Therapy for Children with Deafblindness and Sensory Impairments.”

The workshop was led by Russ Palmer, an international music therapist and vibroacoustic therapy practitioner, born deaf and diagnosed with Usher syndrome, making him a person with deafblindness. Russ uses two cochlear implants and, together with his wife Riitta, developed socio-haptic communication, applying tactile messages and musical vibrations to stimulate sensory perception in people with multisensory impairments.