How this music school helps neurodiverse students thrive

Evidence tier: A1 Evidence type: Auto-discovered official publication Source: Mastercard Newsroom Official publication date: 2026-07-16 Captured: 2026-07-18T16:33:07.811Z

Growing up in suburban Philadelphia, Shana Pistilli watched with mounting frustration as her neurodiverse and special-needs classmates were excluded from activities she loved.

“I was always hyper-aware of the [neurodiverse kids] when I was in high school and them not even having the chance to try out for things,” Pistilli says. “I had the ability to sign up for soccer, no questions asked. Sign up for drum lessons, no questions asked.”

That indignation — and her passion for music — led to a strong belief that any child who wants to play a musical instrument should be given the opportunity to learn. After obtaining a master’s degree in music education with an autism concentration from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, she began teaching instrumental music full-time at two public elementary schools in the Philadelphia area.

Then in 2022, she took her mission even further and founded Rubato School of Music, which aims to make music accessible to neurodivergent and special-needs learners.

Pistilli initially drove to students’ homes for one-on-one lessons but soon moved her music school into a 200-square-foot studio in Media, Pennsylvania. As her business grew, she hired an additional teacher and moved to an even larger space.

Currently, 100 neurodiverse and special-needs musicians attend the school’s private lessons and group classes. Through music, many of her students find their voices and build self-confidence by interacting with peers and performing at school recitals.

“People come to us because we are welcoming, we are safe, we are sensory-aware,” Pistilli says. “Our environment is calm and warm, and we speak to the children like any other child, because they’re just there to learn the music, and that’s it. And parents really appreciate that.”

Now, she’s ready to expand again, but this time, with an assist from Mastercard and Major League Baseball.