Music has been a universal pillar in human expression in all cultures of the world throughout history and it is safe to say that we have all experienced the power of music in many ways. It serves as our anthem in times that call for celebration, brings comfort in times of sorrow, and sheds insight to help us navigate the inevitable turns in our life’s journey.
If you shared why music matters to you with any random stranger on the street, they would likely respond with a strike of recognition, nodding their head in agreement.
While it feels familiar to recognize the impact of music on our lives, it can be difficult to put a finger on how it affects us, exactly. What is it about music that moves us in such a profound way?
This is the answer at the bottom of my life’s work as a music therapist. Music is a complex multi-sensory experience that engages the entire brain at the same time. The sound we pick up through the ears travels up to our cerebral cortex where it manifests itself in our conscious awareness. It engages our sensory processing, movement, critical thinking, and communication. On the way, though, it travels along the parts of the brain that are not within the confines of conscious awareness. It stimulates mechanisms in the spinal cord that activate movement (that’s why my foot taps without me thinking about it!) and the limbic system where your emotional memories are created and stored (huh, that’s why my favorite music as a teen brings me back to those nostalgic days).
Human beings are much more complex than we give ourselves credit for, and have intelligence that far surpasses our own understanding. Music touches this intelligence and affects us beyond words we can consciously articulate. Music is a superpower for expressing love or processing pain. Music makes us feel connected to the stranger to our side as we listen to our favorite band in a concert hall, suddenly feeling that we are one as we all face toward the stage in awe and wonder. Music shines a light in the dark and helps us to see the world around us. Music brings us together and helps to paint a picture in the mind of the listener, telling a story that conveys information and evokes emotion. Music is a universal human behavior that has had a profound effect on us since the dawn of time, and is a testament to the human spirit.
That is why Music Matters.
Buy tickets to the Music Matters Benefit HERE
Written by Alec Johnson – founder of Guard Goose Music Therapy
This blog has been written with the assistance of NI (natural intelligence)
