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Wonderful world

June 6, 2012
Photo by Samantha Radecki | The State News

Tears welled in the eyes of Regina Walker as she watched her son Tanner Maxwell up on stage singing “You’ve got a friend in me” for the final time at the MSU Community Music School’s music therapy recital Tuesday evening.

When 11-year-old Maxwell first entered the doors of the MSU Community Music School’s music therapy program five years ago, he was a different boy than he is today.

Walker said the joyful, caring and chatty fifth grader he is now would never be tagged as someone with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.

“So much progress, by leaps and bounds,” Walker said one day after music practice — one of the things she feels to be most influential in his life and all he has overcome with Asperger’s.

According to Walker, socializing with children Maxwell’s own age has always been difficult. But with help at school and music therapy, Maxwell has been able to overcome many of his adversities.

“When he first started in music, it was just him, in in his own class, and he didn’t share any time with anyone else,” she said. “(And) since then, he’s been able to do that; and in school he’s been able to do that.”

Maxwell recently graduated the fifth grade from East Olive Elementary School and is currently living with his mother and stepfather in DeWitt.

Towards the end of the month, Maxwell and his parents will be moving back to Arkansas. This week was Maxwell’s last day of the fifth grade and his last music therapy concert; and it has been a very emotional time Walker said.

Maxwell’s music therapy teacher, Åshild Rødsætre Thompson, is very close with Maxwell and his parents and said that what he has overcome in music class transcends into the other areas of his life.

“(Music) is using his strengths and helping him be more flexible in his approach,” she said. “And I think that’s something that carries over, not just in music, but in his regular interactions at school and other aspects of his life.”

After the recital, Maxwell expressed how much he will miss all of his teachers, Miss Åshild and how grateful he is to his parents.

“Mom and Dad, I want to say thank you for bringing me into the music school. I’ve really enjoyed it these past five years” he said after his final music recital.

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