HOW IT WORKS

Special Voices Paves the Way for a Unique Musical Performance Experience

Special Voices is an upbeat, Rock’n’Roll and Pop musical group featuring adolescents with intellectual and physical disabilities who sing back-up vocals and perform along with two professional vocalists, a special sibling, and a hilarious emcee who kicks-off the song-fest with his special brand of comedy. 

The cast includes nine back-up singers, Christine, Monique, Michele, Pam, Terrance, Tim, Brian, Jamar, and special sibling Deanna, acclaimed children’s entertainer Steve Roslonek and Mary Kate Cieri, performer and teacher, both singing lead vocals, and comic emcee, Parker Stevens.   

Classic Pop and Rock’n’Roll Songs Make It Happen

Debuting with a 30-minute video of a recent performance, the group sings popular, high- energy, foot-stomping, hand-clapping, and sentimental hits, such as – Do Wha Diddy Diddy, Loco-Motion, Willie and the Hand Jive, Shout, the classic favorite Somewhere Over the Rainbow, the original Special Voices Theme Song, and the hilarious  EEEOU Song.  

These songs with their lead vocal line and short repetitive, responsive back-up vocals are well suited for the abilities of these teens who excel with this style of music.  With a wide range of vocal talent, some are quite melodic, while others approach the songs with an enthusiastic, chant-like quality.  Some non verbal kids will choose to just move and dance.  This combination of performance styles produces a powerful performance filled with excitement and fun for the performers and their audience.

How Special Voices Can Work for You!

To encourage other groups with intellectual and physical disabilities to star in a Special Voices concert in their own hometowns, the video also includes a “Karaoke for backup vocalists” edit.  Using the same songs featured in the original concert and a similar format, only our emcee and professional lead vocalists will be seen and heard.  By editing our original Special Voices singers out, this Karaoke version allows for the back-up vocals to be performed by a new group of singers in a live concert setting.  Special siblings, along with others involved in the program, are encouraged to join these back-up singers on stage as needed to ensure a successful show and to promote inclusion and a spirit of camaraderie.

With the original concert video serving as a creative learning tool and inspiration, the follow-up karaoke edit empowers these performers to take center stage and rock like stars!

Take the Show Home

In addition to the excitement of participating in a live show, these talented entertainers will be able to enjoy their concert, along with family and friends, many times over with their own memento DVD.  Their performance will be professionally videotaped and edited to incorporate the lead vocalists and comic emcee featured in the original Special Voices recording, delivering a very entertaining, memorable, and inspiring DVD.

                                   Off the Couch and up on Stage!

            Childhood Overweight and Obesity is a growing problem in our youthful population, especially with the kids we serve.  Singing, dancing, and stage performance are exceptional lures for enticing physical activity.  Hours spent in high energy rock and roll rehearsals and performances are hours spent off the couch and away from passive activities.  Additionally, our DVD will include an instructional segment on vocal and physical warm up exercises that will promote flexibility, strength and limberness of both body and voice. 

 We’re  Not  “One Hit Wonders” ! 

We intend to produce an expanding supply of new concert DVDs.  We look forward to to making community Special Voices concerts an annual event.  New product releases will keep the concert experience fresh and exciting for participants and audiences alike.  We will also explore special releases showcasing particular musical genres, such as Country Music.  Seasonally themed releases might include a patriotic concert for the Fourth of July and a show suitable for the Winter Holidays.  Spanish and other language versions of our DVDs will enable to us to offer the Special Voices experience to other cultures and across borders. 

Other potential initiatives incorporate the inclusion of popular instrumental musicians and lead vocalists as guest performers.  Much like the continuous stream of stars appearing on Sesame Street, we will encourage notable musical artists to lend their allure and fan bases to our efforts.

Time to Shine

Special Voices gives performers with special needs, who love music, an extraordinary opportunity to perform non-competitively on stage before an enthusiastic, live audience.  Uniquely structured, the Special Voices program offers our stars:

ü     A comprehensive, multi-level learning and social experience

ü     A challenge that provides them the satisfaction of success

ü     And unparalleled fun!

Special Voices hopes to reach as many teens with special needs as possible nationwide with a grass roots approach.  This entails galvanizing community park and recreation departments to incorporate a series of small scale, local concert productions into their overall programming on a continuous basis.

You’re Invited! 

 Check out a Special Voices concert by clicking “Watch Our Demo”.

Enjoy the Show!