Robert Gupta, violinist with the LA Philharmonic, talks about a violin lesson he once gave to a brilliant, schizophrenic musician — and what he learned in this inspiring TED Talk.
Showing posts with label understanding the power of music. Show all posts
March 4, 2014
Denise Chow, Brain Processes Music Like Language, New Study Shows, Huffington Post, Feb. 24, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/24/brain-processes-music-like-language_n_4831975.html
"When jazz musicians let their creativity flow and start to improvise melodies, they use parts of their brains typically associated with spoken language — specifically, regions that help people interpret syntax or the structure of sentences, according to a new study.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine in Baltimore tracked brain activity as two jazz musicians played pieces from memory and then engaged in back-and-forth improvisation, creating something akin to a spontaneous musical conversation. They found that areas of the brain associated with syntax and language were very active as the musicians were improvising.
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February 11, 2014
Robert J. Zatorre, Why Music Makes Our Brain Sing, NY Times,
June 9, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/why-music-makes-our-brain-sing.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1&.
We are all familiar with "that moment when you feel a chill” of pleasure to a musical passage." This article explains the brain chemistry behind it, most interestingly, the release of that dopamine high during an anticipation phase rather than during a "peak emotional moment". Read the full article here.
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January 28, 2014
Music & Memory is a non-profit helping seniors living in nursing homes get access to the songs of their youth. Experience the power of music to bring back memories in this video with one of Music & Memory's beneficiaries who has advanced Alzheimer's.
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January 14, 2014
"Music can help rewire the brain after a traumatic injury, stroke or accident. In all of us, our own playlist of personal favorites can help to:
Trigger memories. Think of jingles that remind you of a company’s name, or that song that always takes you back to your senior year of high school.
Promote learning. Next time you have a phone number or list of terms to remember, try putting it to music. Elicit emotions. The movie industry has long known how to use background music to heighten terrifying, tragic or exhilarating moments .
Provide motivation. Chores can become an entirely different experience when set to an energetic beat. Improve coordination. If you hear music while you’re walking, you can’t help but to walk to the beat. That’s a biological process called “entraining,” in which a rhythm and melody pull us into synchrony with them.
Reduce stress and pain. Calming music can entrain you to breathe deeply and the memories music elicits can remind you of happier, more peaceful times and places."
Source: Karen Weintraub, Music Can Help Retrain an Injured Brain, USA TODAY, Nov. 28, 2011, article, citing Concetta Tomaino, executive director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services in New York.
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"Music can help rewire the brain after a traumatic injury, stroke or accident. In all of us, our own playlist of personal favorites can help to:
Trigger memories. Think of jingles that remind you of a company’s name, or that song that always takes you back to your senior year of high school.
Promote learning. Next time you have a phone number or list of terms to remember, try putting it to music. Elicit emotions. The movie industry has long known how to use background music to heighten terrifying, tragic or exhilarating moments .
Provide motivation. Chores can become an entirely different experience when set to an energetic beat. Improve coordination. If you hear music while you’re walking, you can’t help but to walk to the beat. That’s a biological process called “entraining,” in which a rhythm and melody pull us into synchrony with them.
Reduce stress and pain. Calming music can entrain you to breathe deeply and the memories music elicits can remind you of happier, more peaceful times and places."
Source: Karen Weintraub, Music Can Help Retrain an Injured Brain, USA TODAY, Nov. 28, 2011, article, citing Concetta Tomaino, executive director of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services in New York.
December 5, 2013
At 109, Alice is the oldest pianist and Holocaust survivor in the world. She has more passion for life than most of us can aspire to."Music is a dream..." she says and so many other wonderful things...
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December 3, 2013
Captive Audience: The Music Business in American Prisons, SPIN, May 9, 2013.
Captive Audience: The Music Business in American Prisons, SPIN, May 9, 2013.
An interesting article about how greater access to music through the introduction of basic MP3 players is improving the quality of life in an Idaho prison. Read it here.
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November 26, 2013
We believe that every child should have access to music and that is why we support organizations that bring music into schools, foster homes and youth centers.
Early introduction to music
1. Helps develop brain areas related to language and reasoning
2. Increases spatial intelligence
3. Inspires creative problem solving
4. Strengthens test performance
5. Teaches empathy, compassion and cultural understanding.
6. Develops craftsmanship
7. Instills dedication
8. Enhances teamwork skills
9. Provides a means of self-expression
10. Develops skills necessary for the workplace, such as better communication and cooperation
11. Teaches young people to conquer fear and take risks
12. Exposes children to the incomparable
Read more about why making music accessible to children can help shape a brighter future at 12 Benefits.
November 19, 2013
Check out how music is being used as a tool to heal. Read the article
Ever wondered why music has such power? Or how music can be
so universal? Or even whether music appreciation is uniquely human? Elena Mannes,
author of “The Power of Music”, touches on these topics and on the affects of
music on our brains in this podcast. Check it out.
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