How Music Strengthens the Brain

Summary: Learning music can help fortify neural pathways associated with cognitive function and could help to stave off dementia, researchers report.

Source: Mayo Clinic – Scottsdale, Arizona

Music soothes, energizes and inspires. It also fortifies pathways in your brain that neurologists say can lead to a better understanding of cognition and dementia.

To help better understand how music strengthens the brain, Dr. Bernard Bendok, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, explains how music strikes a chord with researchers in this Mayo Clinic Minute.

“One of the higher functions that a human brain can engage with is the performance of music,” says Bendok.

“As you master those instruments, there are certain connections that grow and get enhanced in the brain. The brain likes to be challenged. We know that the more languages you know, the less your risk of dementia. 

And music happens to be a language.”

“Understanding music allows neurologists and neurosurgeons and neuroscientists to better understand the brain,” continues Bendok.

“It’s a great way to better map the brain, both for enhancing the safety of surgery, but also for exploring new avenues for new therapies for various conditions of the human brain, including degenerative diseases and memory problems.

By understanding these pathways that contribute to musical memory and cognitive memory, this will allow us to solve the problems of degeneration like dementia, but also open new opportunities to enhance function.”

Onsite Lessons Safety Reminders

Please continue to follow the safety precautions below so that we can remain open for onsite lessons!*

THANK YOU!

First off, thanks to all of our loyal students and parents for sticking with lessons during this difficult time.  YOU are what makes Allegro School of Music a great place to learn to play. 

Also, a huge thank you to our teachers.  They have pushed themselves to learn new skills, and we have no doubt that we are offering the best online and onsite lessons in Tucson. Thank you teachers!

And finally, thanks to our amazing office staff who have been working tirelessly from 9-8 to take care of you.

Onsite Lessons:

Masks are mandatory for EVERYONE in the building at all times.  

All teachers, staff, and students will be required to wear masks.  We will have lots of complimentary masks available if you forget yours.

For now, only students are allowed in the building.  

Lobbies will be closed for now.  There will be a small amount of chairs spread out throughout the building for students.

Pickup and drop-off 

You’ll drop your student off and walk them to the school entrance.  Your teacher will escort the student to their lesson.  For pickup, your teacher will escort the student back to the front where you can meet them.

Sanitizing

All frequently touched surfaces ie: door knobs will be sanitized between every lesson.  There will be hand sanitizer and wipes in every room for students and teachers. Additionally, there will be air filtration units in every studio.

Social distancing

All lesson rooms will have the teacher and the students spaced apart 6 feet.  There will be no shared instruments.  ie: Piano rooms will be equipped with additional keyboards.

*If we have a reported case of Covid at the school we may have to shut down again and only offer Zoom lessons.  We don’t want that to happen and we know you don’t either, so please, please, please, wear your masks at all times when inside the building.

Online lessons:

Can I keep my lessons remote?

YES. If you’d like continue to stay online, we are offering that option.  We have been teaching remote lessons for a long time, well before Covid.  It has always been an option and will continue to be an option.

We look forward to making music with you this year!

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It was the first time for the twins to have piano lessons. At first they refused to go but the teacher always makes a difference in a students life.They enjoyed it. They had a great time. Thank you Mr. Efrain.

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Study: Music Students get better grades in Math, Science, and English than their nonmusical peers

High schoolers who take music courses score significantly better on exams in certain other subjects, including math and science, than their nonmusical peers, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. 

“Students who participated in music, who had higher achievement in music, and who were highly engaged in music had higher exam scores across all subjects, while these associations were more pronounced for those who took instrumental music rather than vocal music,” he said. “On average, the children who learned to play a musical instrument for many years, and were now playing in high school band and orchestra, were the equivalent of about one academic year ahead of their peers with regard to their English, mathematics and science skills, as measured by their exam grades.”

“Learning to play a musical instrument is very demanding. A student has to learn to read music notation, develop eye-hand-mind coordination, develop keen listening skills, develop team skills for playing in an ensemble and develop discipline to practice. All those learning experiences play a role in enhancing children’s cognitive capacities and their self-efficacy,”

Article: “A Population-Level Analysis of Associations Between School Music Participation and Academic Achievement,” by Martin Guhn, PhD, Scott D. Emerson, MSc, and Peter Gouzouasis, PhD, The University of British Columbia. Journal of Educational Psychology. Published online June 20, 2019.

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