Watch CBS News

Autism To Take Center Stage At Carnegie Hall Benefit Concert

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Autism will take center stage at Carnegie Hall on December 4 at an all-star concert of The American Christmas Carol to benefit Kate Winslet's Golden Hat Foundation.

Composer Tim Janis has been working with the son of the organization's co-founder, a boy named Kelly who is 14 and non-verbal, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported.

Autism To Take Center Stage At Carnegie Hall Benefit Concert

"When they got the notepad in a way that he could point to letters and spell out words, the first thing he wrote was 'I am real.' So locked inside Kelly were all the emotions and thinking that we have and he wasn't able to communicate," Janis said.

Kelly is now writing his own music.

The concert will also feature a 100-flute salute to Sir James Galway for his 75th birthday.

You Might Also Be Interested In:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.