Why is Music Important?

  • "Music is the universal language of mankind"

    Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

     

      

    For many years I turned away from music.  I found that most music bothered me, with the exception of the occasional old alternative favorites from Nirvana or a classic in Italian from Andrea Bocelli.

    Looking back on that time when music was largely absent form my life, I realized in many ways I was somehow stalled out – it was like I was holding my breath waiting for something unknown to happen, and so everything had to be very quiet so I would not miss my cue.

    And, so silence ensued for a really long time.  And the cue didn’t come, but many other life changes did – death of loved ones and a marriage, and many other life-altering curve balls that I could not have anticipated.   It was during this difficult times that the silence became an unwelcome visitor and I rediscovered music as a way to cleanse the soul and shake the cobwebs.

    If I was lonely, I would find new music on iTunes, or play some of my old favorites, and then the house wouldn’t seem quite so empty. Although totally out of sync at first, I would start to dance around, looking much like the Tin Man before oil was applied to his joints.  I didn’t care – I was having fun all by myself doing the goofiest of moves.   I realized that what I had turned away from was exactly what I needed to help open some channels of energy long closed.

    The effects are really not surprising.  Scientists have recently discovered that music affects many parts of our brain very deeply (grown-ups can look at the book This is Your Brain On Music by Daniel Levitin to find out more). But you don’t need to be a scientist to recall how some of your favorite Christmas carols or singing Happy Birthday to a loved one makes you feel.

    Music is a language for all humans. It is a language that is there when normal language is of little use.  There is no culture known where music has not existed and it has been used as a way to communicate, express emotions and tell stories since the beginning of mankind.

    Having rediscovered music, I know there is something astonishing and transformative about music's grip on well-being and consciousness.  I plan making music an adventure and exploring as many artists and genres as possible and having fun in the process.  I hope you’ll join me and through in a few steps of ass-shaking moves in the process!

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