A spotlight lit the portrait of Eric Winter's smiling face in the Music Building auditorium Friday evening - a reminder his music will live on in the music therapy program.
The fifth annual Music Therapy Recital, titled Celebrate Abilities, was dedicated to Winter, a music therapy student who died last month at the age of 12.
"For almost nine years we called this place home," his mother, Judy Winter, said in the beginning of the concert. "He left his music behind for us to celebrate."
The first act was an instrumental performance of two songs Eric Winter composed. He held auditions to pick the instrument he liked best and had narrowed the selection down to the mandolin and clarinet before his death.
Both instruments were used to perform the song on Friday.
"We know that he is with us today, keeping a close eye on the performance of his music," Judy Winter said.
About 200 people attended the recital, which featured about 30 acts from MSU music therapy children and adults diagnosed with autism, traumatic brain injuries, mental illness and other physical and mental impairments.
Music therapy is a health care profession which uses music to address the physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs of children and adults with special needs.
The annual recital began in 1999 as part of Randy Carrier's vocational rehabilitation. Carrier was a band director before suffering a cerebral hemorrhage and began music therapy at MSU to regain skills for teaching and performing.
At the recital, Carrier played trumpet in "The Randy Carrier Brass Quartet" and sang a song he wrote called "For Mom and Dad."
"Thank you mom and dad, for being there when I needed a friend," he sang. "I know I don't say it enough, but I appreciate all you've done."
The song detailed the day he had a life-changing stroke, his road to recovery and his hope to repay his parents for their support.
The event allows patients to show off their abilities without being looked down on, said Cindy Edgerton, the primary therapist for the Community Music School.
"The people here are not looking at any of the disabilities on stage," she said. "They are looking beyond the disabilities to the child or the adult inside. The performers get to flaunt their abilities. What more could be asked for?"
It's the welcoming stage that drew Jodie Ide, a 25-year-old Holt resident and music therapy patient to the event.
"The best part is getting up in front of the people and not being scared," she said. "Believe in yourself."
To end the concert, Edgerton led the audience in singing a melody she sang with Eric Winter to end their music therapy sessions. She made one alteration to the original by replacing the word "goodbye" with "see ya later."
"See ya later Eric, thank you for teaching us so," she sang. "See ya later Eric, thank you for the love you show."
