Music's got me feeling so free

By Jacob Stewart
It's a dark, dreary December night, and college applications are due. There's a
coffee thermos to the right, a snack on the left, and a pile of papers that nobody
wants to fill out. You can't find the drive to finish applying, so you just sit there and
stare, hoping that the seemingly endless papers will do themselves. Then, after
browsing Facebook for what seems an eternity, you hear your favourite song start to
play. Suddenly, you feel revitalised, and somehow have the drive to finish the
applications. After all, if you start them, you'll be closer to finishing. This is one of
the prime examples of how music can immediately affect the mood of people.
What is Music?
Music is, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is comprised of, "vocal or
instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form
, harmony, and expression of emotion." However to many people in this day and
age, music is much more than that. "Music is a way of expressing different feelings
and connecting with other people's feelings," says Thomas Dimmick, a graduate of
Corpus Christi College in Western Australia, "it is a way of removing the barriers of
language and a way of connecting with those who you don't share anything."
The Mozart Effect
For many people, the first thing that they think of when you mention music, is most
likely the idea that listening to music makes you smarter, especially for babies. But
what they're really thinking about is known as the Mozart Effect, and it not only
increases brain development in children under 3, but it also increases spatialtemporal reasoning, the ability to think things through in three dimensional space,

in people of all ages. This was initially discovered in 1988, when scientists,
attempting to model brain activity, discovered that specific nerves in the brain fired
in specific patterns and rhythms. These patterns, when output as sound, sounded
like baroque, new age, and eastern music. From there, they decided to see if the
opposite where true, if music would affect the brain, and so was born the 'Mozart
Effect.' The reason for this phenomenon, is that listening to music warms up the
synapses and nerve clusters in the right hemisphere of the brain, which is also the
side that deals with spatial and long-term sequencing problems. But music is more
commonly used therapeutically.
Music Therapy
Music therapy is, according the American Music therapy organisation, "an
established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic
relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of
individuals." Put basically, Music therapists use various techniques such as singing,
song writing, and listening to music, to treat their patients, with the therapy
helping to calm heart rate, improve state of mind, and even reduce blood pressure.
While this may be pursued professionally, it is by no means limited to therapists.
Music....
"Music actually makes the brain happy. This has to do with
the dopamine response that is triggered when music is
heard. Its more than that though," says Niskayuna High
Senior Cody Okonski, and the lead guitarist of Uncle Joel's
Comb, a local Ska band.

Niskayuna High Senior

Cody Okonski

"It is very much a way of life. For some it's just listening. For some its actually
performing it. Personally I really took interest in music around the age of 12 and
haven't stopped playing. I like it because it gives me a way to express my emotions
without fear. Otherwise I would be lost in my shy ways. Being on a stage and
playing whatever instrument is the greatest feeling, or at least one of them."
Okonski is not alone in his view, as many people love music because of the
communal aspect of it, helping many come out of their shells, and feel part of
something better, something bigger, something more. " I used to be a really quiet
kid but then once I started really getting into music, I started interacting with other
musicians and really started becoming social. Music is a fantastic way to meet
people," said Sophomore Jesse Zeltins. While children's social movements may
seem trivial, music also has a profound effect on many people. "Music stopped me
from committing suicide two years ago," says Scott McArdle, another graduate of
Corpus Christi College,
"
it showed me that I wasn't alone in how I felt."
Coda
Music makes the world go round. Without music, many people would unable to
share their ideas and emotions in a way they would be unable to with a speech.
"Music and the arts are essential in providing a balanced education for children,"
says Niskayuna High Head of Music, Matthew Cremisio, "The arts provide a vehicle
for creativity, self expression, collaboration, and discipline, all to further develop
humanistic qualities that enable children to live meaningful and rewarding lives."

Any song can be its own emotional rollercoaster, with its own individual twists and
turns, and that is why music is invaluable.

References:
3, Day. "Mozart Effect." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_effect>.
"Music Therapy." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_therapy>.
"The Mozart Effect: A Closer Look." Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
<http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/lerch1/edpsy/mozart_effect.html>.
"Human Intelligence: Mozart Effect." Indiana University. Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtml>.
Scott, Elizabeth. "Music Therapy - How and Why Music Therapy Is Effective." Stress
Management - Stress Information and Resources from About.com. Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
<http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/music_therapy.htm>.
"About.com." Stress Management - Stress Information and Resources from
About.com. Web. 7 Apr. 2011. <http://stress.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ>