How playing music benefits the brain video

Research tells us that music is so important to children and young people because:

• increases confidence and self-esteem – which has a knock-on effect in all areas of their life and learning
• improves health and wellbeing – reducing stress, increasing a sense of wellbeing and happiness
• provides important life and social skills – such as listening, concentration, working as a team
• develops creativity and self-expression – helping young people to think differently and develop their power of imagination
• improves cognition, literacy and numeracy  – recent neuroscience research has shown that children who learn an instrument have higher levels of cognitive capacity, specifically in their language acquisition and numerical problem solving skills
• can be the key to unlocking potential – particularly for young people who are strongly creative, or who struggle to engage with other areas of learning

Jessica Grahn, at TEDx West Uni

Music and the Brain video

Music…intelligence…wellbeing

This video talks about how music:

• makes us smarter
• developing intelligence in a more natural way
• improves memory and focus
• helps us to process special awareness

Wellbeing:

• Can reduce pain after surgery
• Can aid recovery from a stroke
• Helps when we exercise
• Helps when we walk (even pulse)
• Relieves stress

Dr Anita Collins, academic, researcher and music education advocate

What if video:

This video explains that music is the one subject that helps:

• memory systems to work,
• us to learn languages
• to moderate our emotional states
• us to solve complex problems
• our brains to be healthier into later life

and

• improves cognitive function

Scientists also believe that while music is beneficial at any time during our lives, it is found to be most useful if children start undertaking musical activities before the age of seven.