托马斯·Daniel 小Sweitzer. ’94, ’11 chose Shenandoah because he knew the conservatory had a great music therapy program and his drama teacher had encouraged him to attend the university. “It’s an authentic place where you can find yourself and your future,斯威策说. “In the 1990s it was so small it was like living with a family.”
Sweitzer’s fondest memories are his friends, 教师, the productions and Shenandoah Summer 音乐 剧院.
Sweitzer is the co-founder and creative director of 要去的地方 in Middleburg, Virginia. 要去的地方 helps people face, navigate and overcome life’s challenges through the clinically-based practices of music therapy in individual sessions, community programming and medical music therapy. 在他的角色中, Sweitzer is a music therapist and creator of productions and tours, 教导接受, 差异与爱. 要去的地方 received the American 音乐 Therapy Association’s Best 音乐 Therapy Provider of the Year award in 2017.
在他的职业生涯中, Sweitzer has also been a music teacher, the artistic director for The Hill Playhouse, an actor and a composer, receiving various awards and honors for his work. He directed the documentary film, “就像威尔一样” that was released in 2019, which won several awards both nationally and internationally. In 2014, Sweitzer received the Loudoun County Humanitarian of the Year Award and was invited to be a guest at the White House for his work with the disabled community. He is the subject of a new documentary, “音乐让我来到这里,” alongside one of his heroes, 福勒斯特•艾伦, a young man with a traumatic brain injury who found his voice and courage again through music therapy.
最近, Sweitzer toured his one-man show, “肉丸和音乐。,” a 90-minute play based on his childhood and created “The Land of 音乐,” an animated series educating and bringing hope to young children during this time of uncertainty after his battle with COVID-19. The series can be found on the YouTube channel, 一个家的地方.
While at Shenandoah, Sweitzer learned who he was and what he could do. When he came back in 2011 for his music therapy certificate as an older student, he felt the university gave him a safe place to experiment and express himself as an artist.
“SU helped build who I am today and I have been blessed with many opportunities and recognition,斯威策说. “我很感激。.”
Sweitzer’s advice to students is: “to grab onto mentors. Listen and allow yourself to be vulnerable with boundaries, meaning don’t know too much. We all learn from others.”