Photos courtesy of Karen Vaisman photography Jocelyn Chan is shown at a Jan. 20 concert with the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra. She is playing the violin.

Shane Harry will perform on the double bass at "The First Classic Concert for Children and Their Families."

Music therapist Tomiko Taylor had a dream: to present a live classical music concert to physically and mentally challenged children.

"As a therapist, I see many children with special needs," the Newbury Park resident said. "Many children enjoy music and do well in music sessions. Through music they can connect better with the outer world."

With that, she collaborated with Bill Benson, artistic director and conductor of the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestras, to present "The First Classic Concert for Children and Their Families."

The seventh annual event is set for 2 p.m. Sunday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, at 32111 Watergate Road, Westlake Village.

"There are not really any opportunities in this community for this type of an audience, where interactive classical music is presented," Benson said. "Since concerts are not generally produced for this type of an audience, I felt that it may be a wonderful public service that the Conejo Valley Youth Orchestras could provide."

This 45-minute concert, designed for children of all ages and abilities, will engage the audience in active listening activities. For instance, attendees will experience the sounds of the highest and lowest pitched instruments in the orchestra, and then discover their own highest and lowest voices.

"All of the children have an opportunity to sing and interact with the music," Benson said of the audience members, adding that during past concerts children have played along using paper plates as percussion instruments.

"If we have a story such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff,' the children get to play roles on stage," he said.

An unusual event

The programming itself and the audience make this an unusual event, Benson said.

"The purpose of this concert is for these children to experience a live performance that is tailored to fit their needs and not the needs of the performers," he said. "There are few, if any, opportunities for this type of an audience."

There are many considerations when developing this type of a concert, Benson said. For instance, the length of the program must be considered for very young children and children with challenges.

In addition, families must have the freedom to move about because of restroom requirements, restlessness or other difficulties.

The show also must include interaction with the children through a catalyst of basic skills such as fast music, slow music, loud music and soft music.

Ultimately, the program must be fun and leave the children with a good feeling.

"We have had amazing results with children who have never spoken all of a sudden beginning to sing," Benson said. "There have been children unable to move their arms who, when brought to the stage and given a role to play, have miraculously begun to move their arms."

A place for all children

Children with special needs must go out into the community, and the community needs a place that is capable of accepting all children, Taylor said.

"I thought a concert would be a place where all children could participate and show their best ability," she said.

"We hear many electronic sounds these days," she said.

"Children hear them through radio, TV so I wanted to provide a concert with acoustic sounds."

She also wanted to create a concert that parents and children could enjoy together, in addition to interacting with the music.

"I wanted to take my own son to a classic concert when he was little; usually small children were not allowed," she said. "So I wanted to provide a concert for parents who wanted to expose their children to classic music."

The annual concert is open to all children, with or without special needs.

"Sometimes I invite them even as a performer," Taylor said. "In the past, a boy who has little communication with others sang in the chorus successfully."

Another time, she said, "an autistic boy was one of the composers and performed with the orchestra."

Because such experiences are not widely available for this type of an audience, it is vital to the community, Benson said. "Plus, it is free of charge so it is available to everyone," he said.

For parents and children who are capable of being in a more formal setting, a "Student Recital" featuring solos and ensembles performs 45 minutes after the children's concert, at 3:30.

"This is also free of charge and is an opportunity for some of the children to see music performed in a more formal setting," Benson said.

The ultimate goal of the concert is for all audience members to enjoy music together, Taylor said. "Then they take the experience home and enjoy listening to music as a family."