For Parents: Why Music?

Music and Art not only nourish the soul, but research has shown that symphonic music creates a positive impact on our physical and mental health. These benefits can begin as early as in-utero and continue to impact us until the end-of-life.

See below to learn more about these benefits!

Children are ‘sponges’ – soaking in the world around them. The earlier a child is introduced to the life impacting powers of music, the more likely they will grow to be more creative and well-rounded individuals.

Wellness Benefits of Classical Music

Strengthen the Heart

Listening to classical music combats heart disease by lowering blood pressure, heart rate variability, and cortisol levels.

Boost the Brain

Music helps child development in language, emotional intelligence, mathematical ability, memory, and phonologic skills to name a few.

Relieve Pain

Music reduces pain, stress, and anxiety—individually or all three at the same time.

Assist our Veterans

Veterans who play musical instruments see an increased emotional openness, feel a greater sense of belonging and self-control, and are given a safe way to access traumatic memories.

Gerontology

For older populations, music is the source of enjoyment, independence, delay of cognitive decline, and decreased depression.

Rock-a-Bye Baby

NICU Music therapy helped premature infants to gain weight, decrease episodes of oxygen desaturation, and shortened the length of hospital stays.

Parkinson’s Disease

Patients dealing with bradykinesia use rhythmic patterns to improve posture, symmetry, stride length, and other motor skills.

A Sonata for Epilepsy

Children listening to Mozart’s K. 448 Sonata for Two Pianos experienced antiepileptic effects.

Fighting Cancer

Music therapy can be preventative, helpful in surgical recovery, and provides relief in palliative care. One study showed the destruction of MCF-7 cells (linked to breast cancer) when Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was heard by a patient.

Stimulate Immunity

Music boosts immunity by providing positive and profound emotional experiences, subsequently secreting immune boosting hormones.

Wolfe, L., Wolfe, T. (2011). Musical Connections Program of Carnegie Hall’s Music Institute.
Music and Health Care. Cambridge, MA.