Position: Adjunct Associate Professor, Music Therapy
Email: tsweitzer08@su.edu
Employed Since: 2015
Applied Area(s):
Music Therapy
Educational History:
B.F.A., Master’s Certificate, Shenandoah University; M.A., Berklee College of Music
Fields of Expertise:
Expressive arts and teens with disabilities
Professional Highlights:
Tom Sweitzer graduated from Shenandoah University in 1994 with a B.F.A. in Musical Theater and in 2010 with a graduate certificate in music therapy, leading to Board Certification (MT-BC). He is currently completing a master’s degree in music therapy from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Sweitzer has been a teacher, voice coach and theatre director for over twenty years. As Director of A Place to Be, he is nationally recognized for his work helping people face, navigate and overcome life’s challenges through the therapeutic arts. He has also written several musicals that have been performed professionally, including his production of “The Same Sky Project,” which has now been performed for over 40,000 audience members. Sweitzer is the subject of a documentary, “High Notes,” which examines his clinical work with a young man with a traumatic brain injury, due to be released February 2017.
Personal Quote:“There are three rules to follow if you want to make it in this world; be Kind, be Kind, be Kind.”
Personal Highlights:
- Guest speaker
- Musical composer
Recommended Link(s):
A Place to Be
A Place To Be Music Therapy (APTB) works under the premise that gifts come in many shapes and sizes. In a world that often lacks compass-ion, understanding and acceptance, APTB provides opportunities for those whose gifts may not be as readily apparent. APTB provides the opportunity for each individual to discover and understand their unique contribution and connection to the world to better navigate the future.