The Sparkle Within: Navigating Williams Syndrome Through Music

Abstract

William syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder with common features that generally include mild intellectual disability, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hyperacusis, and a highly social and empathic personality. The musical proclivity of individuals with WS has been well studied over the years including brain imaging findings on fMRI that correlate with emotion based areas when music is played. To our knowledge though, there have been no case reports detailing this relationship between WS and music. Here we describe a case of an individual with WS for whom music has been a central aspect of his life. We explore his own personal experience with music ranging from listening to music, to performing in theatre productions whilst overcoming anxiety, and even impacting others with disabilities through his own band.