The Brain and Music

I’ve been a musician all of my life.  As I get older and read about what happens to the brain as we age, I can’t help but wonder what mine must look like!  Apparently, the brains of musicians are interesting to neuro-scientists.  Each day, I read new studies about how music affects the brain, and how great it is to give children music lessons, and provide lots of instruments for them to try out and then choose one to master.

So I was very excited, the other day, to see that a study had been done on the brains of musicians, and how they differ from the brain of someone who had done a lifetime of “other” work!  Actually, this particular study was looking at the brains of children under 10, but the results were still fascinating.  So the question remains, do the smarter kids gravitate toward music, or do those who take music lessons begin to be able to use more of their brains.

The music teacher in this article is quoted as saying, “The brain continues to fire on all cylinders” 45 to 90 minutes after practice on a musical instrument, Wenger said.”  He believes that music class, gym class, and art class should be interspersed throughout the day with other classes, because these subjects provide a boost of energy and not just passive sitting and listening!

Just a little more proof that music is really good for humans!  Perhaps the best medicine of all!

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/life/health-and-fitness/2015/05/18/research-shows-significant-changes-brains-musicians/27526723/