Celebrating Music Therapy Awareness Month!

In addition to Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, it is ALSO Music Therapy Awareness Month!

Music is like magic. It can conjure up feelings and emotions, take us outside ourselves or deep within ourselves. It can ground us or it can be an escape. Here at HMS, we know that music is one of the most powerful tools of expression we have, that’s why it’s so important that music is a core part of our curriculum!

In honor of Music Therapy Awareness month, HMS student Rocco interviewed HMS Music Therapist Brad Biedermann to find about the man behind the music!


How long have you been at HMS?

It’s been about 26 years now. It’s been a long time now.

How long have you been a music therapist?

I became a music therapist in 1984. I lived in Massachusetts, so I worked at a lot of facilities in and around Massachusetts. For a while, I worked freelanced as a Music Therapist. I came to Philadelphia to get my master’s degree at Temple University. Now I’m a professor at Temple, I teach a lot of guitar classes there. I started working at Temple around the same time I started at HMS. HMS and Temple can’t get rid of me!

What’s your favorite thing about being a music therapist?

I get to do what I love, which is playing music. I get to have fun at my job every day and I have the opportunity to be creative. I love getting to play music with the students and watch them grow.

What’s the most important thing about Music Therapy, in your opinion?

The most important thing about music therapy is to listen. It’s about meeting students where they are and accommodating their needs. Singing and playing music are obviously important, but Music Therapy is supposed to be fun, so it’s important to listen to the kids so that they get the most out of it.

What’s your favorite memory you’ve had here at HMS?

That’s a great question. Of all the memories I’ve had here at HMS, I remember the smiling faces of my past students the most. I’ve had a lot of students over the years. So the smiles definitely are rewarding.

Are you in any bands outside of HMS?

I am not in any bands. I’ve occasionally been a part of pick up bands. I play a lot of music at my church. For a while we did have a band at HMS that would play at some of the events that we would have here. There have been a lot of staff that have come and gone through HMS that have been a part of the band. There were even students that would come and play with the band.