For 25-year-old Gavin, being heard has not always been easy.
Gavin, the grandson of Arylessence founders Gail and Steve Tanner, has autism and is an unreliable speaker. For much of his life, his family faced a question familiar to many families of individuals with profound autism: How do you make sure the world sees the person who is there when that person cannot reliably communicate through speech?
The Tanners refused to let that barrier define their grandson.
Gavin’s journey has taken his family through years of searching, learning and advocating for opportunities that would allow him to flourish. Eventually, he began using a letterboard to communicate thoughts, abilities and aspirations his family says had previously been hidden by the limitations of his speech.
What they discovered changed everything.
Today, Gavin is working toward a fully accredited high school diploma. His family says he excels in mathematics and continues to demonstrate academic abilities that once went unrecognized.
“The Spellers Method and Spellers Center Atlanta have had a distinctive and profound impact on Gavin’s life, and in turn, our entire family’s lives,” Gail said. “When Gavin flourishes, we all celebrate.”
Gavin’s story has taught his family a lesson that extends far beyond communication: Access matters.
Sometimes a barrier prevents the world from seeing what a person is capable of. Sometimes removing that barrier reveals possibilities that were there all along.
That belief is at the heart of a sponsorship helping make greater access to live orchestral music possible in our community.
Opening the Door to Music
For more than 10 years, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra has presented Sensory Friendly concerts, creating opportunities for individuals with sensory sensitivities and their families to experience live music in a welcoming environment.
This season, that work is being supported by Arylessence and Spellers Center Atlanta, whose sponsorship is helping underwrite the GSO’s 2026–2027 Sensory Friendly Concert Series and make admission free to the community.
For Arylessence, the sponsorship is deeply personal. The Marietta-based company has a long history of supporting the arts and community organizations, while the Tanner family’s experience with Gavin has brought an especially meaningful perspective to supporting opportunities for individuals and families in the autism community.
“The arts, especially music, is a gift everyone should be able to enjoy and experience,” said Lori Burns, Arylessence Director of Public Affairs and Community Engagement. “Music is a universal language and unifier.”
That belief is reflected in the GSO’s Sensory Friendly concerts.
For some families, attending a traditional concert can bring uncertainty. Will the environment become overwhelming? Will their child be able to move, vocalize or respond in ways others may not understand? Will they feel judged?
GSO’s Sensory Friendly concerts are designed to ease those concerns. Families can use a quiet space if needed, and accommodations including comfort bags, weighted blankets and fidget items are available. Audience members have greater freedom to experience the performance in the way that works best for them.
The goal is simple: to create a place where families know they belong. Dr. Dana Johnson, founder of Spellers Center Atlanta, understands how meaningful that can be.
“What I want most is for these families to walk in and feel truly welcome,” Johnson said, “to know their child is welcome exactly as they are, and to actually relax and enjoy themselves for once.”
This season, the sponsors are helping remove another barrier: the cost of admission. A Concert for Everyone
On September 12, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra will present Adventure Awaits! Movie Music for the Whole Family at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta.
The 2:00 p.m. Sensory Friendly Performance will be free to the community through the sponsorship of Arylessence and Spellers Center Atlanta. The 50-minute performance will feature music inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Spider-Man, Robin Hood and Wonder Woman.
Families can also enjoy an instrument petting zoo before and after the performance, giving children the chance to get close to the instruments and musicians they hear onstage.
And families do not have to worry about whether their loved one will behave exactly as expected. They can come as they are.
The GSO’s second Sensory Friendly concert of the season will take place December 5, when families can experience the magic of Holiday Pops in a welcoming, sensory-friendly environment.
Both concerts are free thanks to the generous sponsorship supporting the series, but reservations are required because seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved at georgiasymphony.org or by calling the GSO box office.
For the Tanners, helping make these experiences possible brings Gavin’s story full circle. Their family knows what can happen when someone is given an opportunity instead of being defined by a limitation. They know the joy of discovering abilities others may not have seen. And they understand how important it is for families to have places where their loved ones are welcomed without judgment.
Now, through Arylessence’s generosity, they are helping create such a place for others.
The Georgia Symphony Orchestra has long believed that live music should be an experience everyone can share. This season’s sponsorship makes that belief tangible—opening doors, removing barriers and inviting more families into the experience.
Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to open a door.
What waits on the other side may be more beautiful, more capable and more extraordinary than anyone ever imagined.
Families are invited to reserve their free seats at georgiasymphony.org or by calling the GSO box office—and experience the music together.
Because when the doors are open, there is room for everyone.
To learn more about the Georgia Symphony Orchestra’s Sensory Friendly Concerts and to reserve tickets, visit THIS LINK.
