About

About the Creator – Tom Nazziola, Ph.D.

For over 10 years, Dr. Nazziola has been most known for his work as principal performer on Disney’s Baby Einstein DVDs/CDs. His involvement in this project stemmed from his great love and knowledge of classical music. Success in this area eventually led to the development of an independent musical product for one of the favorite members of any family unit...the family pet! Specifically, Dr. Nazziola took an interest in the calming effects of classical music on pets, which led to the development of Music My Pet—a collection of nationally-acclaimed albums consisting of carefully arranged classical music by great composers (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and others). All three albums have been used by not only pet owners, but also countless shelters and veterinarians, including renown veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and Dr. Jon of Pet Product Advisor. The latest addition to the Music My Pet family includes “PetCalm”— a tiny music cube which provides portable classical music to go wherever your pet goes. PetCalm eliminates the need to rely on a stationary device for playing music. Since the unit is less than 16 ounces and powered by battery, it can be positioned anywhere and fits conveniently in a pocketbook or light travel bag.  

Bio:

Tom Nazziola is an accomplished composer whose music has been featured on virtually every medium in the world of composition. From "live film music" to choral and orchestral pieces, his work has been performed in France, Ireland, Slovenia, Guatemala, Croatia and throughout the United States—as well as broadcast nationally and internationally on radio and television. His music has been performed by several ensembles including: Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Bang on a Can, Eastman Percussion Ensemble, VocalEssence, New York University Percussion Ensemble, Cantori NY, and the New Jersey Youth Symphony among others. 

Dr. Nazziola has been commissioned by the American Composer’s Forum, VocalEssence, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Cantori NY, Museum of the Moving Image and the New Jersey Youth Symphony (first commissioned composer by this organization) among others. He has received numerous awards, including the Samuel Adler Grand Prize (2020), Winner of the 2016 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest for Large Percussion Ensemble, Bistro Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, AMBY Award, and the Erich Parker Parent's Choice Award. 

Dr. Nazziola is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and holds a masters degree in composition from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in composition from Rutgers University. He also studied composition and orchestration at the Juilliard School. 

About Music My Pet:

Bach. Brahms. Mozart. We all know the effect that music by these composers has on the human condition. But did you know that research indicates this music has the same effect on pets? It’s true—and at Music My Pet we’ve gone a step further. We produced a series of award-winning albums (CDs/MP3s) with the specific goal of calming pets. Additionally, we’ve created a new product, PetCalm, to deliver a portable, calming music experience for both you and your pet.

When creating our audio products, we studied the music. And we studied animal behavior. That’s why no off-the-shelf music is as effective as at calming pets. We chose the classical passages that soothe pets most—and orchestrated them with the piano, violin, harp, classical guitar and flute to create the most serene listening environment possible. The result? Dogs stop barking. Cats relax. And pet owners leave the house free from worry.