Playing from the heart: Finding healing and connection through music

A lifelong composer shares how creativity and therapy shape his experience

Music is widely adored by those who listen, but for the composer, it reveals a world unto itself, a space where inward wanderings are transposed into outward brilliance.

For more than 70 years, Army Veteran Daniel Bremer has reveled in this space. This year, the lifelong pianist attended his third consecutive National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF).

“All art enriches my life, and this competition is one of those areas that did me so much good,” Bremer said. “There’s something about the arts that skips all the non-essentials and gets right to the point; it brings you to a point where the therapy can work.”

Bremer has participated in Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s local creative arts competition since 2022 and is one of four Bay Pines VA Veterans who were invited to attend the 2026 national festival. This year, he was selected for two first-place musical compositions: one a cover of an existing tune, and the other an original composition titled “Missing You,” which you can listen to below.

Sparked from the heart

Bremer’s composition came to life in late 2024, around Christmas, when he found himself overcome by nostalgia. Led by that sense of longing, he let the feeling carry him to the piano.

“When I play, I’m actually feeling [my emotions] in every phrase, with every note,” Bremer said. “Playing the piano is praying without words.”

The local and national creative arts competitions are provided through VA recreational therapy, giving Veterans more than 20 categories through which to express themselves. The artistic mediums include sculpture, photography, dance and writing. Every Veteran enrolled in VA healthcare is welcome to participate.

“We want to hear from Veterans, we want to see your story, and we want to experience this with you,” said Erin Todd, music therapist at Bay Pines VA. “There’s always heartache and challenge, but to see folks who leave my office and feel heard and feel that sense of hope, that’s a very powerful thing.”

For Bremer, attending the festival is as much about connection as it is about creativity. “When I’m with other Veterans, I feel very relaxed. I feel I can be very authentic,” he said. “Although all our experiences are different, there’s something that ties us all together, something of a spiritual nature that we share.”

Bremer’s musical abilities were forged long before his introduction to VA’s creative arts programs, but those who work with him say his participation has helped him flourish.

“I’ve seen him be more willing to put himself out there and be more social,” said Todd, who coordinates Bay Pines VA’s annual local competition. “It doesn’t matter what your talent or your skill level is. We will help you figure out how to grow, how to express yourself, and how to find healing in a way that can be new and refreshing.”