Recently I have been contemplating music and how the brain works. I don't know if I have any profound thoughts about the relationship between music and the brain, so I won't venture much commentary here. But I thought I might start some random, abstract pieces to help trace something of a picture of this fascinating realm of neuroscience.
Music and the brain is not just about whether or not Mozart makes us smarter or how our musical preferences are formed. It is also about who and how we are as human beings. As one of the scientists in the following video passionately asserts, music is an entire nervous system endeavor. Music connects to language, emotion, relationality, motion, fine motor control, memory, etc. Music transgresses every boundary in the brain. It is everywhere and in specific places. It literally fills us up!
My musing on music and brain began with a video of Bobby McFerrin demonstrating the power of the pentatonic scale to transcend cultural expectations of music and tonality.
I've seen this video numerous times, and it always creates wonder. Why does this work? And why does it work around the world? It shows music to be a very powerful unifying and participative force.
This weekend, I decided to watch the entire panel from the World Science Festival, "Notes and Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus." I am still processing the session... Here it is in its entirety:
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