Coming to DVD December 15: "Music Got Me Here"

A snowboard accident leaves Forrest Allen, age 18, trapped inside himself, unable to speak or walk for almost two years. Tom Sweitzer, an eccentric music therapist with a troubled childhood, is determined to help Forrest find his voice.

Featuring interviews with renowned soprano and music therapy advocate Renee Fleming and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, Music Got Me Here is a story of the power of music to heal and transform lives, often in miraculous ways.

WHAT IS MUSIC THERAPY?

Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. A music therapist is a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. The concept of using music as a tool for healing dates back thousands of years. But it wasn’t until after WW1 and WW2, when music was used to treat veterans suffering from both physical and emotional trauma, that music therapy became a formal profession. Today, there are more than 6,000 certified music therapists in the US. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who suffered a traumatic brain injury from a gunshot wound in 2011, credits music therapy with helping her to regain her speech.

MUSIC AND THE MIND: “A GOLDEN MOMENT”

Ancient philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, recognized and wrote about the tremendous power of music. But it’s only recently that neuroscientists, using advanced magnetic resonance imaging, have been able to go beyond the anecdotal – and actually document the powerful pathways that exist between music and the brain. The possibilities for enhancing health and well-being based on cutting-edge research are enormous. Music therapy has the potential to improve the lives of those dealing with brain injuries, Alzheimer’s, autism, Parkinson’s, aging, cerebral palsy, mental health issues, PTSD, stroke recovery, pain management, and opioid addiction.

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, featured in the film, describes today as “A Golden Moment” for neuroscientists exploring the music-brain connections. NIH, recognized as the foremost bio-medical research institution in the world, is now launching clinical trials using music therapy, similar to those used for testing a new heart valve or drug. Dr. Collins believes Forrest’s story is important because, “Sometimes the dramatic single case teaches you something that you never could have figured out by studying much milder cases over a longer period of time.” Forrest and his family’s journey shows what’s possible and offers hope and inspiration for others.

ABOUT DIRECTOR SUSAN KOCH

Emmy and Peabody award-winning filmmaker Susan Koch's films have appeared on ABC, NBC, PBS, HBO, Showtime, MTV, ESPN, The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, American Movie Classics, The Learning Channel, and the Travel Channel. Koch’s documentary Kicking It, about homeless soccer players who compete in an international tournament, premiered at the Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals and broadcast on ESPN. Koch's other films include the award-winning documentaries Mario's Story (Showtime), City at Peace (HBO) and The Other City (Showtime). She co-founded and is the Executive Director of the Middleburg Film Festival.