There’s quite a lot of evidence to suggest that kids with autism have a very good melodic memory.
Sandy Stanutz of Manotick is doing research on music and autism and has won a $20,000 grant from the Grammy Foundation. Yes, those Grammys.
Beyond the glitz, the Grammys are funding projects from conservation to music therapy for people who have suffered strokes.
And the foundation gave $20,000 to Stanutz’s group at McGill University, the only Canadians to win Grammy funding this year.
Stanutz, a post-doctoral fellow, is trying to find out whether children with autism have an unusual ability to remember a musical note days after they hear it. It’s a talent called absolute pitch (some say perfect pitch) and it’s rare — except possibly in those with autism.
But where does it fit into the giant autism puzzle?
Stanutz has a PhD in music and also runs the Manotick Arts Camp for children. It was a natural step to blend her music with research at McGill’s education faculty.
“There’s quite a lot of evidence to suggest that kids with autism have a very good melodic memory,” she said. They remember a tune well. But the next step is whether they can remember an exact note a week or so after they hear it.
One reason to investigate: It may reveal strengths “and point to ways in which you can bring out those strengths” in education. But as well, she believes that learning about music memory may shed light on a host of mysteries in autism — basics such as language development and how children learn.
There’s also a visual side: Kids with autism do well with visual puzzles, even doing complex tasks with what appears to be no effort.
Stanutz is trying to see whether there’s a link between that ability and the musical memory. “We’re hoping … to add to the base of knowledge about how cognition is developing in kids with autism.”
The Grammy Foundation is evolving into a serious source of research money. This year it gave out $200,000, and its total over the years has reached $6 million.
There was a call for applications last summer, and Stanutz and colleagues Jacob Burack and EveMarie Quintin applied.
“(We’re) very thrilled to have them fund the project because they have such a high profile,” Stanutz said. “They want people to know … that they do fund research.”