What does 'p' in music mean? tells that 20% of American students have some music reading skills. 'p' of course, is a dynamic, meaning "soft". 'f' is the opposite, meaning loud. The article also says that 50% of the students recognize the instrument during the clarinet solo in "Rhapsody in Blue". Comparison of student performance on music ... is slightly discouraging - since 1997, students' music knowledge on elements such as "Identify a correct time signature for a piece of printed music" has declined.
Music as powerful teacher to children with autism tells that Charles Slye has discovered that music calms the children and makes them more attentive. They respond more to the melody than lyrics, and visuals are required for them to process the lyrics. Music is able to communicate to us when other methods are blocked - more about that later.
In an interview, Tom Wolfe (author of The Right Stuff, not Look Homeward, Angel) remarked that music is a window directly into our soul. Although we should have expected it, Emotional Music Triggers Addictive Brain Activity explains that the reward system of our brain releases dopamine. The researchers found that the response to emotional music is similar to addictive drug craving. (Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which creates 'circuits' in our brain between other neurons and cells.) For me, "Let There Be Peace on Earth" evokes chills down my spine during the crescendos. (There seems to be a sub-theme of music dynamics.)
Similarly, The Sound of Passion explains that musicians can more accurately determine the emotional content of speech. Joy, sadness, anger, etc., are better detected by musicians, their training and practice making them more emotionally sensitive. Researchers measured the electrical signals at the brain stem for audible stimuli. The signal levels were directly correlated to the years of practice and when the musician first began training. Related studies are showing there are morphological changes in the brain due to musical training - such as larger gray matter in practicing musicians for pitch processing. The author concludes that the brain is "tuned for music."
I agree. I cannot imagine a world without music. It seems there is an opportunity to exploit the communication provided by music to break down physical and cultural barriers of mankind.
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