MUSIC IS BRAIN FOOD

From the Artistic Director: John Krumich

I think everyone knows that music is good for the brain.  We intuitively know that it gives us new ways of expressing ourselves, of organizing our thoughts and ideas, and of course music gives us pleasure and comfort.

But what long-term benefits can music confer on the brain if one learns to play an instrument just for a few years?  A team of neuroscientists at Northwestern University has conducted a number of studies that show musicians have an increased ability to pick out a speaker’s words in a noisy environment, are better at detecting emotion in speech, and can stay sharper at processing sounds as they age.

But does one have to be a long-time musician, starting young and singing and playing through college and beyond to reap these benefits?  No.  According to a recent article published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the same researchers found that just one to five years of playing music as a child was associated with an improved cognitive ability in processing complex sounds as an adult.

SCORE stands as a wonderful place for children to come together and sing and play instruments for one to four years of their lives.   Every week in rehearsals, and at every concert, we see the growth of their musical skills, and yes, of their brains.