In June of 2017, I was steeped in forums discussing the beauty and power of music. I was steeped in the possibility that music education and music therapy may finally be coming into its place in the word of medicine and education. I’ve always dreamed big but this was outstripping my best dreams.
Read MoreLess than four…
…percent of the entire human population has abnormal perception and production for music.
That means people who are actually tone deaf! Or beat deaf!
Read MoreIn neuroscience, we can teach the primary locations and systems for visual processing, voluntary movement, language, speech production, emotions and memory formation. We cannot do that for music, and herein lies the beauty and its power. Music is diffusely activated throughout the brain—right, left, cortical, subcortical, anterior and posterior. It owns no particular ‘real estate.’ Much of the brain is involved in detection of even the simplest musical patterns.
Read MoreI was born into a Boston Irish culture. Even though I am not very Irish (many generations back), and I certainly don’t look Irish (tall and blonde), I was raised to revere baseball, hockey, basketball and football. The Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics and Patriots are a part of the culture. But I was also born into something of a higher order.
Read MoreMusic therapy is a clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program (www.musictherapy.org)
Read MoreMusic therapy is a field that few people know about, but makes a large impact in the lives of the people it benefits. In this month's interview, Andrew Hibel of HigherEdJobs spoke to Kathleen Howland, a professor of music therapy at Berklee College of Music. Howard discusses what drew her to the field of music therapy, why music therapy is so important, and best practices in music education.
Read MoreIn 1993, an article in the prestigious academic journal Nature created massive public interest in the power of music on the brain. The study reported that college students who listened to a Mozart piano concerto before taking a test that measured visual-spatial abilities did better than those who received relaxation instructions or silence.
Read MoreDr. Kathleen Howland is a neurologic music therapist, speech and language pathologist, educator and advocate. She teaches at Berklee College of Music and The Boston Conservatory. She lectures internationally on how the power of music can heal the brain and the heart.
