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After struggling for years to communicate with her son, who has autism, Aaltje van Zweden discovered how music could bridge their worlds.
Through singing nursery rhymes, her son, Benjamin, spoke his first words.
The power of music was spotlighted at a two-day event earlier this month. “Music Heals!” 2026 Music Therapy Seminars brought together leading voices in music therapy, psychiatry, psychology and social inclusion to discuss this art form’s ability to heal, connect and inspire.
The event, comprising seminars and performances, was presented by Hong Kong Generation Next Arts.
A key speaker this year was van Zweden, the founder of Papageno Foundation. Based in the Netherlands, the foundation focuses on using music therapy to help young people with autism.
Musical discoveries
Van Zweden noticed how Benjamin was different when he was born.
“If I was trying to communicate with him, even when he was in the crib, [he would] look past [me]. It was impossible to have eye contact; he didn’t respond to all the common stuff mums and babies do,” she said.
Over the years, medical professionals told van Zweden that Benjamin would never communicate with her. Some even suggested he be institutionalised.
But she didn’t give up. She realised that Benjamin liked it when she sang to him.
“That was the only way I could catch his attention,” she recalled. “Me singing nursery rhymes was his whole world.”
One day, she noticed that while she sang, her son was looking at her mouth. Curious, she covered her mouth with her hand during the song’s final word to see his reaction.
“He was very engaged,” she said. “He was trying to pull my hand away ... He wanted me to sing the last word. And I said, ‘You try! You try to sing.’”
She continued: “I sang the rhythm again, and then he tried. That was the first time in his life that he tried to make a word.”
What made the revelation particularly interesting was the importance of music in their family. Her husband, Jaap van Zweden, is a conductor and violinist. He was also the music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012 to 2024.
Once van Zweden made the discovery, she looked for people who could help Benjamin. Eventually, she found music therapy.
Support for children and parents
Van Zweden launched the Papageno Foundation in 1997, offering home music therapy sessions for children with autism, delivered by qualified specialists. In 2015, she opened Papageno House, which offers young people with autism a place to live, make friends, get support and develop work experience.
Michelle Kim, the founder and artistic director of Hong Kong Generation Next Arts, said she hoped van Zweden’s story could offer hope. She believed it could shine a light on the power of music therapy, which is still in its early stages in Hong Kong.
“We have to give [parents] hope and encouragement because a lot of times, they feel alone,” Kim said. “They feel the burden of ‘How could I help my child?’ ... But through music, we can connect.”
