April 6-10, 2026, is Music Therapy Week at Children’s Minnesota. This week celebrates board-certified music therapists and the joy, inspiration and healing they bring to patients and families.
At Children’s Minnesota, we are grateful for our team of music therapists who make a positive impact in the lives of our patients and families.
During Music Therapy Week, we are excited to highlight Children’s Minnesota kid expert and board-certified music therapist, Anneliese Moore. Anneliese works with patients at our Minneapolis and St. Paul hospitals.
Get to know Anneliese!
Tell us about your role and what you love most about it.
I’m a board-certified music therapist at our Minneapolis and St. Paul hospitals in the medical/surgical unit and at the Center for the Treatment of Eating Disorders (CTED). I joined in August 2025 and have loved being part of the Children’s Minnesota music therapy team. My favorite part of working at Children’s Minnesota is getting to meet so many amazing kids and families — many of whom did not expect to be admitted to the hospital — and offer them comfort through music. While there are many goals that music therapy can address during a patient’s hospital stay, my favorite moments come when you watch a patient respond with relief and peace as the music begins.
What inspired you to become a music therapist, particularly in the field of pediatrics?
When I was in high school, I was required to complete a project that made a “lasting impact” on the community. Having been in piano lessons since I was young, I thought teaching piano to kids at a local group home would be a perfect way to share music and teach a skill. I went and played music with a group of children, one of whom was a child with developmental and speech delays. She immediately came to the front of the room to play piano with me, and the teachers were in awe, as she was very withdrawn and didn’t engage often. They asked me if I’d heard of music therapy, and if that was my plan after high school. It wasn’t! I thought I was going to be a lawyer, but I immediately went home and Googled to learn more. From then, I knew I wanted to be a music therapist.
What are some of the musical instruments or tools you find most effective in your work?
Personally, I love having a variety of instruments on hand for patients and I to use together. Guitar is one of the essentials I use almost every day by myself and/or with the patients I see. I also love small percussions such as shakers or drums because they are so accessible and adaptable. Using instruments that feel approachable and “easy” can be great for inviting caregivers into sessions, too! I also love to use technology whenever there is an opportunity. Digital instrumentation such as mini keyboards are awesome for teens to make music that sounds like what they’re listening to.
How does music therapy contribute to a patient’s overall well-being?
Regardless of which unit the patient is on, music therapy contributes to patients’ well-being by bringing something familial and personal to the medical space, which is comforting, relaxing and normalizing. Music is a part of culture, and music therapy can personalize support to each patient regardless of culture or language. This can make the medical space less isolating and help patients and families feel comforted and seen.
One of the biggest ways that music can contribute to a patient’s well-being is through providing autonomy. There is so much that happens to a patient while they’re in the hospital; things they can’t say “no” to. Music therapy offers patients an opportunity to make choices, express themselves freely, and to say “no.”
What’s your favorite kind of music to play or listen to?
I have a broad taste in music — as you can imagine many of us MT-BCs do — but the music that is most special to me tends to be shared by the people I love. I’m currently listening to Harry Styles’ new album and Noah Kahan’s newest single which my sister shared with me. I also love to sing songs that aren’t as popular with patients, I enjoy mixing it up and learning new styles and songs from them. I recently was asked to sing opera by a patient, which was so much fun!
