Welcome to

Mitzvah Music Live

Our Mitzvah Music Live Initiative, uses the amazing power of music to connect with people — to heal, to soothe, and to stimulate. With your help, our fund raising efforts have and will continue to enable us to provide live, therapeutic, musical performances for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and for hospice patients at home or in a facility. Whenever possible, we invite family and friends to share these special moments with their loved ones.

Please join us—we’re not just filling rooms with sound, we’re using the universal language of music to create restorative environments for those who need them most.

The Mitzvah Music Academy

The Mitzvah Music Academy Initiative is a music school designed specifically for kids on the autism spectrum. At the heart of our initiative is ensemble playing, allowing students to collaborate, build community, and connect with the wonder of music. Our carefully orchestrated classes enable students to progress at their own pace while actively participating in these group activities. This approach creates an inclusive social setting that enhances musical learning while boosting confidence, manual dexterity, and several other life skills.

From the writings of Aristotle and Plato to modern clinical research (see studies), music has long been recognized as a significant therapeutic tool — the tool that informs our work.

Who We Are

With a lifetime of study, performance and experience behind us, we are committed to the highest levels of artistry and therapeutic engagement.

  • Artie Bressler is an internationally known saxophonist, composer, and producer. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been recognized as an educator and mentor to his students, from beginners to professionals.

    What Artie brings to TMMF is an extraordinary knowledge of the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. From Ragtime to Rock and Roll, he has performed and recorded with many of the best-know artists in each of these genres. His experience is particularly helpful for designing the musical profiles for each patient or group of patients.

    At this point in his career, Artie is focused on dedicating his experience and talent to use the therapeutic powers of music to do good deeds as often as possible.

  • Dr. Horvath began studying music at age 5, and by age 13 was both playing professionally and composing. He studied music theory and composition at the Manhattan School of Music and New York University and orchestral conducting at the Juilliard School. Following a successful career as a freelance musician, Dr. Horvath developed an interest in psychiatric nursing and after 2 decades in clinical practice in New York City, he completed a Ph.D in Nursing Research at NYU, where he analyzed the impact of music on human emotion and behavior.

Our expert staff brings an extensive knowledge of Western music, from Classical to Jazz, and everything in between. We are able to customize our performances. Our goal is to stir memories, create connections, and engage listeners.

  • Music Therapist

    Elise is currently working with hospice and palliative care patients. She does this in private practice and through Suncrest Hospice Inc. She also has a private practice where she works with adults with special needs. Elise specializes in working with non-verbal patients.

    A board-certified music therapist, Ms. Carter has experience in teaching folks with special needs, either through piano or flute lessons, or providing music therapy sessions to work on specific client goals. Elise has experience working with individuals who have cognitive or physical disabilities, adults as well as children. She has worked with Camp Acorn in Allendale, New Jersey, doing group music therapy for their summer camp and through bi-weekly groups with their year long Day-Hab group. Ms. Carter provided group music therapy to special needs students in the Ringwood school district until CoVID-19, and currently provides music therapy through Zoom to special needs adults and children.

    Elise has worked with acute psychiatric patients and palliative care patients as well as in hospice care at Mt. Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in NYC. She also provided environmental music for fragile patient populations in SICU and MICU settings at this hospital.

  • Dawn Ham-Kucharski is an educator of literature and composition with decades of college-level teaching experience. She currently teaches at Oakland Community College, focusing on first-year writing and faculty professional learning through “Teach Students How to Learn,” and is certified in D2L instruction. Her previous appointments span Eastern Michigan University, Schoolcraft College, Monroe County Community College, Jackson Community College, Central Michigan University’s College of Extended Learning, Eastfield College, Richland College, Collin College, Texas Woman’s University, the University of North Texas, and Gwinnett Technical College. She is the author of Autism from Diagnosis to Adulthood: The Spectrum Journey (2023) and co-author of The Autism Book (2005).