Plugged In Teens To Present Benefit Concert Jan. 13

On Thursday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 15, 33 teen bands consisting of students from Needham, Wellesley and surrounding towns who are participating in the Needham-based Plugged In Teen Band Program will be performing at "BELIEVE, a benefit concert for the Dup15q Alliance, which provides family support and promotes awareness, research and targeted treatments for chromosome 15q duplication syndrome. 

Chromosome 15q duplication syndrome (dup15q) is a clinically identifiable syndrome which results from duplications of chromosome 15q11-q13. Chromosome 15q duplications are associated with autism spectrum disorders, developmental delay, learning disabilities/mental retardation and seizures/epilepsy. 

Plugged In is a non-profit teen rock band program teaching youth about using music to create positive change in the world. Three times a year, students perform in benefit concerts that raise money for causes chosen by the students themselves. The selection process for the charitable organization starts at the beginning of each session when students participate in an event similar to a town meeting, called "Community Engage" at which they present to each other causes and charitable organizations that are important to them. Students explain how they learned about the charities, what needs are met by the organizations and why they feel it is important to support the organizations. At the end of the evening, students vote to determine the charitable organization for which the concert will raise money.  

Plugged in student Nelson Barnett, whose younger brother Roland has dup15q, pitched the Dup15q Alliance to his fellow students at the Community Engage Evening this past October. Barnett talked about the rare occurrence of this particular chromosome disorder, approximately 1 in 30,000. He explained the severity of Roland’s profile being non-verbal, frustrated, anxious, behaviorally challenged and constantly interrupted by daily seizures. Given that Barnett is often witness to the occasional awkward, inappropriate and stressful situations experienced during community outings with his brother, he called on his fellow musicians to support Dup15q Alliance as a means to promote awareness and recognition of people with disabilities.

In closing, he mentioned that Roland’s ninth birthday coincidentally would fall within a week of the concert.  

“Roland doesn’t understand the concept of a birthday party, but he loves listening to music. A concert in his honor would be a very special way to celebrate him," Barnett said.

This year, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston opened the Dup15q Center, the first multidisciplinary clinic in the world for children and adults with duplications of chromosome 15q. Dr. Ronald Thibert, director of the Dup15q Center at MGH, commented on Plugged In students choosing to support the Dup15q Alliance.  

"We are very excited to open the first of hopefully many dup15q centers here at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The Dup15q Alliance is an amazing group of families and professionals and we are so happy that we were chosen by the students to benefit from the upcoming concert through Plugged In."

The "BELIEVE" concert will take place on Thursday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 15 from 6:00-11:00 p.m. on both nights at the , 83 Morton St. Tickets, available at the door, are $5 each night for students, $10 each night for seniors and $20 each night for adults.

For more information about the Dup15q Alliance, visit www.dup15q.org.

The spring session of Plugged In begins the week of March 5. The spring session registration date is Saturday, Jan. 28 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at 214 Garden St.

For more information about Plugged In, visit www.pluggedinband.org, e-mail srizkallah@comcast.net or call 781-956-4281.