{"id":226064,"date":"2025-05-02T09:12:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T13:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=226064"},"modified":"2025-05-07T10:18:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:18:33","slug":"how-a-professional-singer-found-her-calling-in-music-therapy-at-montclair-state-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2025\/05\/02\/how-a-professional-singer-found-her-calling-in-music-therapy-at-montclair-state-university\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Professional Singer Found Her Calling in Music Therapy at Montclair State University"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story is part of a series celebrating Montclair State University\u2019s Spring Commencement 2025 graduates \u2013 students who embody the University\u2019s mission to broaden access to exceptional learning opportunities and contribute to the common good.<\/em><\/p>\n

Growing up in Union, New Jersey, Alyssa Mu\u00f1iz dreamed of a life onstage \u2013 and she made it happen.<\/p>\n

From touring internationally with Norwegian Cruise Lines to starring in an Off-Broadway show and even performing at legendary New York City venues like 54 Below, Birdland and the Blue Note, Mu\u00f1iz built an impressive career in the performing arts.<\/p>\n

But after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mu\u00f1iz found herself asking a big question: Was there something more?<\/p>\n

“I love music, and I love singing,” Mu\u00f1iz says, “but I just felt like something was missing.”<\/p>\n

That’s when she stumbled upon music therapy \u2013 a field where she could use her talents not just to entertain, but to heal.<\/p>\n

At 32, Mu\u00f1iz will receive her Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy<\/a> along with fellow College of the Arts<\/a> graduates.<\/p>\n

Choosing Montclair State University for Music Therapy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Mu\u00f1iz found a free music therapy course online and found her calling. So, when it came time to formally study music therapy, Mu\u00f1iz knew exactly where she wanted to go.<\/p>\n

“I always wanted to go to Montclair,” she says. “It\u2019s a beautiful campus, and the music therapy program is incredible. All our professors are literally in the textbooks we read \u2013 the profession is blooming right now.”<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1iz was accepted to both Montclair State University and Berklee College of Music, but ultimately chose Montclair for its congenial community, hands-on learning and proximity to New York City\u2019s endless opportunities.<\/p>\n

“I found it to be really welcoming,” she says. “The professors are so approachable and down-to-earth.”<\/p>\n

She also found a welcoming culture and opportunities for growth. “What I found was a real community \u2013 people I could lean on. Montclair did a great job of helping me stretch, expand and find my voice again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associate Professor of Music in Music Therapy Michael Viega says: \u201cAlyssa has always brought her full life experience to her training as a music therapist. As a musician she is exceptional, able to play in many styles with fluidity and competence. She has been a mentor to many, with her inquisitive but grounded insight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alyssa
Inspired by how she used music to help her grandmother combat the effects of Alzheimer\u2019s, Mu\u00f1iz returned to school and chose Montclair for its Music Therapy program. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Touring the World to Making a Difference at Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Today, Mu\u00f1iz is completing her music therapy internship at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, where she works with a wide range of populations, including kindergarten to fifth-grade students with ADHD, disabilities or trauma, adults with disabilities and seniors with Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

“Music is this amazing thing,” she reflects. “When my grandma had Alzheimer’s, we used music to help change her mood, even help her eat. Now, every day, I see how music therapy impacts people\u2019s lives.”<\/p>\n

Her journey has come full circle. Looking back, Mu\u00f1iz realizes that even her earlier performing roles \u2013 in Pip\u2019s Island<\/em> and Daniel Tiger\u2019s Neighborhood Live!<\/em> \u2013 had elements of music therapy built in through its messages of emotional learning and connection.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m doing what I love,” she says. “It\u2019s so rewarding.”<\/p>\n

Viega says he can\u2019t wait to see where Mu\u00f1iz\u2019s career takes her. \u201cShe is going to be a wonderful music therapist filled with care, empathy and love for health and humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alyssa
Mu\u00f1iz will continue to use her voice and musical talents to assist people through music therapy. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s Next for Mu\u00f1iz<\/strong><\/h2>\n

After graduating, Mu\u00f1iz plans to become board-certified and work as a music therapist or start her own private practice specializing in music therapy for Alzheimer\u2019s patients, their caregivers and even performers struggling with confidence.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m so confident in what I\u2019m doing now,” she says. “Music therapy is powerful, and I\u2019m ready to take it wherever it\u2019s needed \u2013 whether that means finding a job or creating my own opportunities.”<\/p>\n

And when she walks across the stage, it will symbolize much more than earning a degree. She knows her family and boyfriend, Montclair alumnus Wesley DeSouza \u201916, will celebrate her achievement \u2013 and so will she. During her academic career, Mu\u00f1iz has supported herself through commercial advertising work, performances and even bartending, all in addition to her internship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really proud of myself,\u201d she says. “I did this all on my own. When I throw my cap in the air, I\u2019m going to cry like a baby because it\u2019s been 15 years of hustling \u2013 and now, I can finally breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The University will <\/em>celebrate its graduates at Commencement <\/em><\/a>exercises on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Story by Sylvia A. Martinez<\/strong><\/a>, University Communications and Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n

Ready to start your Montclair journey?<\/h2>\n