Berklee Student, Faculty Member to be Featured in HBO Documentary

Berklee College of Music student Adam Walden will be one of five featured subjects in the HBO documentary Autism: The Sequel, premiering on Tuesday, April 28. In 2006, Walden was one of seven children on the autism spectrum who wrote and performed a musical with the Miracle Project in the Emmy Award–winning documentary Autism: The Musical. The film will show how he navigates the challenges and triumphs of adulthood with autism, including his life at Berklee. Walden and his mother moved to Boston from Los Angeles so he could to pursue his passion for cello at the college, where he is a sixth-semester student.

Rhoda Bernard, managing director for the Berklee Institute of Arts Education and Special Needs, will also be featured in the documentary to provide commentary on Berklee’s initiatives for students like Walden who are on the autism spectrum. The institute is a catalyst for the inclusion of individuals with special needs in all aspects of performing and visual arts education. Bernard, a leader in the field of music and arts education for individuals with special needs, writes and presents widely on the topic in journals and forums throughout the world.

“It has been truly inspiring to be a part of this project and to get to know Adam and his music at Berklee,” said Bernard. “The original Autism: The Musical was an incredible look into the lives of these young people and their families, and I’m certain that Autism: The Sequel will allow the world to see the tremendous passion, support, and talent that students like Adam bring to places like Berklee.”

Autism: The Sequel will debut on Tuesday, April 28, at 9:00 p.m. EST on HBO, in commemoration of National Autism Awareness Month.