From the outset of his professional career and personal quest for the universal sound as an artist beginning very early in life, Andy Wasserman has continually explored and realized the deep connection and reality of music as a healing force.  The most ancient forms of music, whether from Africa, China, the Middle East or India, began as practices of medicine,  communication, and storytelling. Music started as the vehicle for lliving time capsules of people's history, wisdom and knowledge. As someone who attempts at all costs to walk his talk, Andy's life work in music has been - more than anything else - a powerful force for his own personal healing on the path which integrates his artistry and individual evolution towards self-realization.

Andy is of the firm conviction that music is a gift, given by the Creator to humankind in order to make us better listeners - so we can learn to listen to the most important things in life: listen to our hearts, listen to nature, listen to each other, listen to the Creator, etc.

It is the music in us that hears the music. Therefore, the ultimate purpose of music is to be a voice of unity and integration through a primary function of healing. This is how Andy defines the holistic approach to music as force for healing on all physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Andy's many years of experience has been a real-life testament to this reality.

Wasserman uses music as a therapeutic modality in private individual sessions for music students with special needs, in participatory workshops and performances at sites and institutions  for special needs populations of all types, and in team building world music experiences for groups, companies and organizations that wish to use music to help them improve their communication and creativity.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In 1980, Andy Wasserman was granted certification for his professional experience in the therapeutic applications of sound & music by the American Association of Artist-Therapists. This was based on over 12 years of previously completed field work in which he utilized his collection of ethnic instruments from around the world in healing modalities for a wide variety of special needs populations.

He was employed as a full-time music therapist at the House of the Holy Comforter in the Bronx, New York from 1981-82. At that time, Andy received recognition for an award winning short video documentary done about his work by the New York State Council  of Elderly Affairs. He continued this line of work by throughout the 1980s by working as an independent consultant in major hospitals throughout the Northeast.

Andy has worked with  individuals and groups of all ages and developmental levels, including:

Waserman was enrolled full-time in a Master's level program at New York University in Music Therapy in 1984 and has also conducted healing through music performances and workshops at sites such as the Kushi Institute, schools and hospitals in Boston, New York and Stamford, Very Special Arts Festivals, The Hospital Audiences Agency of New York City, and locations across the U.S. In addition, he has acted as a artistic consultant to both Young Audiences and Festival of Music arts-in-education agencies in training other arts professionals to extend and adapt their work most effectively with special needs audiences.