Embracing the Benefits of Music - Part 1

                                                                     Image by Joyce Hesselberth

As I've been preparing for an upcoming workshop, I've been reading many articles about the benefits of music. Its refreshing to reiterate for myself the importance of the work I am involved in. My reading has re-energized me, motivated me to continue what I'm doing, and rekindle my own personal music making.

I've been an advocate for music education for as long as I can remember so this is not "new" for me. I began piano lessons at age 5 and continued through college where I completed a degree in Music Education and Piano. Were there times that I didn't like it and wanted to quit? Sure, many. But my dear mother wouldn't let me quit, and I'm eternally grateful for that. I admire the role parents play in their children's lives when it comes to extra-curricular activities. I find with children today that our society emphasizes the quick results, get it now type of attitude which often leaves people giving up on their current interest to quickly move on to something new. You know the phrase, "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going". Unfortunately many of us in today's society have this attitude in work, marriage, relationships, and even leisure activities.

I applaud parents who help guide their kids to find an interest and then motivate them to keep exploring and learning in that area. Learning to stick with something, even when it is difficult, is a great skill to have.

Music education, or the learning of music, whether it be taking a music lesson or learning about the history and appreciation of music, has many benefits to children. Research is continually telling us that studying music has benefits not only when children are in school but for the rest of their lives. Researchers have been able to study the brain and compare brains of non-musicians to musicians and the results are encouraging.

Children who study music have improved attention and memory skills which help them do better in school, do better in math and reading, and score higher on SATs.

Older adults who begin experiencing hearing loss are often able to pick out speech in a noisy environment better if they had studied music. Through music study we strengthen our central auditory processing skills in the brain that aid us in hearing speech more clearly even after we begin losing our peripheral hearing.

Most importantly, music is fun and enjoyable! We can't forget that even though there are many wonderful benefits of music for us academically and physically, music touches us emotionally in a very powerful way. Music can be a social experience connecting us with others, but it can also be very personal, evoking the strongest emotion from a place deep inside.

To read more about the study with older adults and hearing loss mentioned above, please click here.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Embracing the Benefits of Music

Concert Etiquette 101

Having recently attended a few concerts, recitals, and end of the year programs at schools I have been thinking about how things have changed over the years when it comes to society's standards for behavior. I won't get into the bigger issue here of society's standards but I would like to talk briefly about a little thing called, "Concert Etiquette".

Concert etiquette, or appropriate behavior during a concert, recital, or program, is something that needs used to be commonplace but now seems to need to be taught. As a music educator, it is my responsibility to teach my students how to behave appropriately during a performance program. I also need to encourage parents to practice and model appropriate behavior with their children when at other venues.

Here is an article from the National Association for Music Education that gives a handy 10 Rules for  Concert Etiquette for students who will be attending a concert. I think its a great reminder and a needed refresher for kids and adults alike!

Here are a few simple things to remember when attending any performance:

Concert Etiquette Tips:

1. Refrain from talking during the performance.

2. Make sure cell phones are on vibrate or turned off completely.

3. Do not "play" on phone, ipad, ds, or other electronic device.

4. Do not sing, hum, or tap along with the music - the people did not come to hear you

5. No gum, candy, or other food - definitely no candy or tissue wrappers

6. Dress appropriately - know the venue! If its a classical concert or performance at your local theater, wear something business casual to formal. If its a school performance or recital, business casual dress is fine. If its an outdoor concert in the park, jeans or shorts are ok. Avoid watches with alarms or dangly jewelry that makes noise.

7. Know when to applaud - many classical pieces have 3 movements and you should not applaud      between movements - follow the model of others if you are unsure.

8.  Photographs and Video Recording - again, know the venue! Have they asked for No Photography? If photography is allowed, be aware of others around you - don't stand up or hold your phone/camera in others line of sit. Don't get up and walk around in front of others to take pictures. If its important for you to get a shot sit on an aisle seat, stand in the back or on the side - try to remain inconspicous!

9. Wait until the performance is completely over before jumping up and running out the door! Its very important to respect the performers and give them your full attention. Take the time to give them full applause to show your praise!

10. Open your mind to new things - the music or type of performance may not be your "preferred" type but give it a chance, with an open mind - you might be surprised!

You Are My Sunshine...From Birth to the Grave

Music therapists like to say that we can use music with people "from birth to the grave" because we work with so many populations, with people of all ages. One of the things I appreciate about my job is that I get to work with so many different people in different stages of life. Today for instance, I started with a visit to a sweet little lady who is 103 years young! As I was singing You Are My Sunshine, one of her favorites, I realized that later this evening I would get to use the same song in a very different way.

For this lady, this song is a familiar sound which helps her feel a sense of calm. It probably also brings to mind a time much earlier in her life when she first heard it or perhaps she associates a time, place, or person to it. Presenting this song to her encourages her to sing along and connect to this moment. What a joy to watch her!

This evening I will be offering a monthly support group for NICU parents at our local hospital. Parents who have premature infants in the NICU are often anxious, stressed, and exhausted. They just want their baby to get healthy and strong and take them home to start their lives as a family. In this instance I am there to meet with parents to make sure they have a support system in place, that they are getting what they need, and to share with them how music can help them and their babies. One of the things that I encourage parents to do it sing with their babies which not only helps the baby but helps the parent bond with the baby. Tonight I will be helping parents to write their own lullaby to sing to their baby, using You Are My Sunshine as a model.

I feel so blessed to share the gift of music with so many people! Music truly is a wonderful thing!

(image found on zazzle.com)