• Celebrating the Life of Candy Lutz image

    Celebrating the Life of Candy Lutz

  • Deborah Moriarty works with Kodi Lee during a master class. image

    Deborah Moriarty works with Kodi Lee during a master class.

  • Ian Gray, MSU’s former Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, speaks to recital attendees. image

    Ian Gray, MSU’s former Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, speaks to recital attendees.

  • Celebrating the Spectrum participants observe Derek Polischuk as he works with Kalil Olsen in a master class image

    Celebrating the Spectrum participants observe Derek Polischuk as he works with Kalil Olsen in a master class

  • Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar Randy Napoleon works on improvisation with Celebrating the Spectrum pianist Dexter Schroeder. image

    Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar Randy Napoleon works on improvisation with Celebrating the Spectrum pianist Dexter Schroeder.

  • Celebrating the Spectrum participants work on a piece of music with a student mentor. image

    Celebrating the Spectrum participants work on a piece of music with a student mentor.


    Celebrating the Spectrum: A Festival of Music and Life

    Celebrating the Life of Candy Lutz.

    An annual week-long festival in July, Celebrating the Spectrum, is held at the College of Music on the beautiful Michigan State University campus. The festival gives qualified advanced pre-College students on the Autism Spectrum a preview of a life in music. 

    The student's daily schedule reflects the life of a music major in a university or conservatory setting. The week includes two live performances, a house concert which gives the students an intimate setting to try out their performances prior to the Grand Finale Concert in Cook Recital Hall.

    All students perform daily in master classes conducted by College of Music piano faculty, professors Deborah Moriarty and Derek Polischuk. Classes are devoted to solo repertoire as well as piano four hand repertoire.

    2024 Celebrating the Spectrum Dates

    • July 21, Sunday, Student Welcome and Arrival
    • July 22, Monday, 6:00 p.m. Mentor Concert, featuring performances by program assistants. Cook Recital Hall, free.
    • July 27, Saturday, 4:00 p.m. Public Concert, Cook Recital Hall, free. 

    Recap of past programs

    Video: The 2019 Celebrating the Spectrum program featuring first-place recipient Kodi Lee

    Article: Bursting with Joy: the 2018 Celebrating the Spectrum program

    Article: 2017 Celebrating the Spectrum Program and Concerts

    Article: 2016 Celebrating the Spectrum Program and Concerts

    Video: 2016 Celebrating the Spectrum

     

    Celebrating the Spectrum: A Festival of Music and Life is sponsored by...

    Merritt Lutz in celebration of the life of Candy Lutz
    Glen Brough and April Clobes
    Lauren Harris
    Anne Hiller
    MSU Federal Credit Union
    TechSmith

    Special thanks to Dean Transportation for generously providing all transportation needs for festival participants.

    Please visit the Celebrating the Spectrum Giving page to learn more about how you can help support this program.

    Private support helps provide dollars to sponsor each student participant, enabling them to attend the festival tuition-free. Funds also cover stipends for College of Music student mentors who buddy-up with the festival participants. To make a contribution to support this unique and powerful music festival, see our Celebrating the Spectrum giving opportunities.