How Music Therapy Inspires Us
Photo by Sue Ivy
“You have to take a deep breath and allow the music to flow through you. Revel in it, allow yourself to awe. When you play, allow the music to break your heart with its beauty.”
~ Kelly White
Thursday night is date night at our house. Last Thursday we attended our first online concert by a singer-songwriter I’ve mentioned here before, Sara Niemietz, who has a new live album out.
Like most people, we’ve watched tons of YouTube music videos during the pandemic, but this was our first live event. We bought tickets ahead of time and marked the date on our calendar.
Sara and her fellow musicians were clearly so happy to be playing together again for the first time since February. (With it taking place in a restaurant in L.A., she assured the audience that they had all been tested and were being careful.)
The 90-minute concert was so much fun, we almost forgot we were sitting on our couch staring at my laptop.
Music does that to us, doesn’t it? It allows us to completely forget our surroundings.
I’m not a musician, but I enjoy it immensely, coming from a musical family. My dad and grandpap had beautiful, rich voices, and both sang on the radio for fun in Altoona, PA. Dad wrote several songs for my mother when they were courting. I borrowed the title of one of them for my book about their WWII love story All on Account of You.
Cousins often remark that they remember our house as being filled with music. My dad played the piano whenever he had a free moment, and several siblings played instruments. During the holidays, especially, the evenings were filled with impromptu piano, guitar, and clarinet ensemble performances.
Our daughter has a lovely voice, and our son plays guitar, keyboard, and a bit of drums. He’s been in various bands since he was 14, and has worked in the corporate music business for 15 years. His two-year-old son can already “feel the music,” evidenced by the videos of him dancing to the rhythm and singing on key. I’m thrilled that the Irish tradition is continuing.
It turns out that our bodies are uniquely wired for music. Did you know developing fetuses can hear music in utero starting at about 18 weeks? Or that our heartbeats actually change to mimic the music we listen to? Calming melodies relax our tense muscles, which in turn relax our minds as well.
We know from our own experience that music has the power to heal.
Numerous studies over the years have confirmed this phenomenon. Music was first used as an actual treatment in hospitals during World War II to calm and comfort the soliders. Art, drama, and dance activities had similar effects. Together these creative arts therapies as they are called, are used in conjunction with talk therapy to promote self-esteem, alleviate emotional pain, and promote personal growth. Music can help with depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, pain management, and more. Here’s an article about the 10 health benefits of music.
Carole King is my go-to artist when I need a pick-me-up. “Up on the Roof” has long been a favorite, particularly this rendition since I attended her concert when she was on her Living Room tour. I went with my friend Sue, a contributing photographer to this blog, including this post. It was an outdoor, summer concert and we sang every word to every song. It was a life-changing evening.
Today while watching Carole’s video, I noticed the hashtag #SongsofComfort and clicked on it. I discovered a diverse list of artists, and fell down the rabbit hole. Here are a few of my favorite offerings—my “best of” list:
Yo-Yo Ma and Wu Tong playing “Rain Falling From Roof”
Philip Boulding playing “The Quiet Garden” on an Irish harp
Russell Hancock playing “Kitten on the Keys” (ragtime)
The U.S. Army Field Band playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Fort McHenry
In order to create my list, I listened to many of the songs on the page back to back. I was struck by the different emotions they invoked in me, and how quickly my mood changed from one piece to another. See if the same thing happens to you.
When our moods are low, it’s sometimes hard to think of anything that can help us break out of them. We’ve talked a lot lately about the importance of changing our perceptions and also about using distractions to shift our focus away from the current state of negativity in the world.
Because we respond so viscerally to it, music can provide a quick avenue for relief.
If you’re not already, try incorporating some music into your daily routine. We all have our favorite musicians and bands, but my musical adventure today taught me the value of mixing it up a little. From the wistful songs of my youth, to the honky tonk my dad used to play on the piano, to songs from my brother’s patriotic band concerts in high school, it was like going on a musical tour of my life. The eclectic array of tunes rejuvenated me.
I hope these songs of comfort, along with others you may find, lift you up as well.
Affectionately,
Elaine