Have you ever listened to the perfect harmony and gotten chills? Well, a study from the University of Southern California says that if you do, your brain is basically wired for music. For anybody who has participated in a musical ensemble, you understand the impact that music has on the group and other people. The more passionate the group, the more exciting the delivery of the music is. I don’t make the rules. In my personal experience of being in both singing groups and orchestral groups, there is nothing more creative than being able to make music with other people; it is the great connector across all other boundaries of life. Even if you haven’t been a part of a musical group, you can probably remember the moment you knew a song was going straight into your “favorites” on Spotify, or relate to the feeling of playing a song over and over until you’re basically sick of it (or not).
As the daughter of a music teacher and performer, I have never known a life without music and have been taught the idea that anyone is capable of making music. In elementary school, your brain is like a sponge and has the capacity to absorb things like learning new languages or understanding an instrument. So, ideally, the elementary ages of 5-12 are great times to start learning an instrument, as this is the best time to prime your brain for developing patience, focus, and building confidence through achievements. As easy as that sounds, for anyone who took piano lessons as a kid, you know how hard it is to create good habits around practicing. The hours spent trying to learn scales and simple techniques felt grueling, and so many people I know stopped playing after their parents stopped fighting them to practice. If you are one of those people I just described, it can feel discouraging to pick up an instrument again, new or not. Don’t give up hope, though. Studies have shown that it is still achievable for adults to learn instruments, and because they have more dedication to practice time, they tend to learn things in a shorter amount of time. All of this to say, there is so much value for you to dedicate yourself at any age to learning and experiencing music.
Experiencing music is a whole other story. While not everyone can dedicate the time to learn an instrument, everyone has time to enjoy music to some extent. Whether you’re a super-fan of one specific artist or prefer to dabble around, going to concerts has proven to support active processing in your brain, the same way your brain would respond if you were actually practicing an instrument. Believe it or not, your entire brain “lights up” when you hear live music. The psychology behind this says that a performance venue basically produces more sounds than you even realize there to be, and your brain processes all of these sounds to send messages through your brain. The tones and valences of music are what impact our amygdalas and nervous system, sending signals to our brains that basically say, “I feel good about this sound”, or “I do not feel good about this sound”. While this basic approach to what our brains do sums it up to the more primitive way of looking at music, just imagine how your brain responds to huge orchestrations or the combination of visual stimuli plus your favorite song ever.
One of the most supported statements in music is that classical music is good for your brain. Orchestra musicians specifically have shown to have higher grey matter volume, the type of brain tissue that is essential for memory, emotions, and processing. While genres like pop contain more predictable and repetitive music sequences, classical music functions in a mathematical way that adheres to structural rules and harmonic frequencies that impact us differently. The CU Symphonic Orchestra is one of the most esteemed programs in music here at CU. They perform a wide variety of repertoire and collaborate with esteemed musicians across the country. I went to see their performance titled “Fountains”. This performance, directed by Gary Lewis, featured a serenade for strings titled “Roman Fountains”, which highlighted the personalities of 4 ancient fountains. As a cellist myself, I always position myself in the audience to analyze the cellos (no bias, of course), and the symphonic orchestra deeply impressed me. As a group, each musician worked in perfect unity with their surroundings, all breathing together, lifting their bows in unison, and positioning themselves to be as close to the conductor as possible (which is ideal).
This movement they performed could be described as multi-dimensional, colored with unique characteristics of hope or sadness, depending. The ability to bring a story to life is no easy feat. The symphonic orchestra produced a clear and resonant sound, one of the most professionally sounding groups I’ve heard. The passion with which each individual truly felt their scores was admirable, and you know you have found a great musician when you can see someone’s personality through how they read their music. With that being said, each week the College of Music puts on events almost daily, which are free for all students. Music is a surefire way to activate all of the expansive creativity your brain has to offer, and next time you get the opportunity to see a show live, don’t pass it up. Your brain will thank you for the connection and joy that only live music can give you.