Introduction to Autism and Music

Music is an important aspect of everyday life and a domain within which exceptional skills and talents can flourish. Researchers working in the field of autism science have traditionally explored musical strengths within the framework of domain-general cognitive models, and conclusions drawn from this work have influenced narratives about musicality in autism. In this introductory chapter I will outline these approaches to understanding musicality in autism in order to illustrate why a new approach is needed. The following chapters will present empirical and theoretical work on music and autism, before looking in detail at biographical accounts derived from extensive interviews conducted with autistic musicians working within different musical genres. The overarching aim of the book is to explore the complex relationship between autism and exceptional musicality in the context of evolving concepts of autism and the expert insights of autistic musicians.