I have been listening to Of Sound Mind, by Nina Kraus. The subtitle is How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World. I borrowed the audiobook because it was readily available while there was a considerable waiting list for the ebook. The audiobook is read expertly, but with a little too much drama for my taste, and I wonder whether I would have enjoyed reading the book more.
Link to a NPR piece.
Link to an 8′ audio piece on the book, also on NPR
Link to Brainvolts, the lab Nina Kraus leads.
In my opinion this book establishes beyond any doubt that music needs to be taught in every school. Playing music, with or without talent, improves everything, from motor control to visual correlation, to sound and speech decoding, group action etc. etc.
One remarkable story followed a group of Benedictine Monks who, after a Vatican edict, were ordered to stop chanting. They became unhappy and physically unwell, and some became sick. When the edict was overturned, and the monks started chanting again, these effects were reversed.
I found especially fascinating that the pathways between the ears and brain are two way streets, something I had long wondered about. This means that the pathways don’t just transport information gathered by the ears to the brain, but that the brain also sends instructions to the ear. The brain can for examples turn the volume down, by literally telling the tiny hairs that collect the sound to be less excited, or tune the ears to particular frequencies.
Highly recommended book.
The entire global education system needs reviewing and not just for music.
In our local schools, music is taught, in fact, is mandatory. My daughters went to a school who had both a full string and band section.
Not all schools have the instruments. It more of a funding issue.
Yes- music helps with brain development. I think most people know this and all parents would love their kids to learn music.
“One remarkable story followed a group of Benedictine Monks who, after a Vatican edict, were ordered to stop chanting . They became unhappy and physically unwell, and some became sick. When the edict was overturned, and the monks started chanting again, these effects were reversed.”.
Funny!
May have become unwell/unhappy cause they had nothing to do !!
What do monks do? I was told some sit around and stare at a wall all day? (always wondered about that – like… don’t they have their eyes closed??)