Music may help!
It
is with thanks to the author of Deans
Stroke Musings, a blog that I read with enthusiasm every morning (or every
night if I am up too late), that I am motivated this morning to write on my own
blog again after such a long break.
I am sure that I am not the only conductor who, on reading this heading ‘Music May Help Babies Learn Better’, will react as I did and say to yourself – ‘I believe knew that already’.
Dean
also commented in this posting – ‘And just when is
your doctor going to learn that music helps stroke recovery?’
Having
read that sentence I immediately knew that I have to refer to this posting on
my blog and also try to trace where I have written about learning speech
through singing in my own work to put it as a reference here. I have written
about my stroke clients singing on several occasions, in speech programmes, at
summer fetes and during walking programmes keeping a tempo walking to music or
listening to one’s own singing voice.
The
report that dean refers to from NBC News can be read here with a video to watch
from the Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences, that carried out the study –
Below
is a quote from the above report –
"Schools
across our nation are decreasing music experiences for our children, saying
they are too expensive," she said. "Music experience has the
potential to boost broader cognitive skills that enhance children's abilities
to detect, expect and react quickly to patterns in the world, which is highly
relevant in today's complex world."
I
was considering recently the role of music in my own life. I realised that apart
from singing in various conductive groups including stroke groupsI hear very
little music these days and I had already decided to remedy this before I read
today’s posting.
I
attend with joy the conductive music group that I organise with a young
musician. I learn a tremendous amount while playing rhythms and keeping tempo
on a bongo or other instrument. It is becoming easy to lead half the group
while singing rounds, but it is still hard work, needing lots of concentration.
I
will be on the look-out in the next few weeks for a few concerts to attend
during the summer months so I can fill my life with a bit more music.
Unfortunately I cannot be in Norwich in June when my sister will be lucky enough
to see and hear Rod Stewart! Maybe I will also invest in a small music system for
my flat, it is time after living here for several years to listen to my
collection of CDs again.
It
says in NBC news report quoted in Dean’s posting that music experience in
schools is decreasing. I think this is possibly true for many countries in the
world so I realise once again how important it is for us all to use any
influence we might have to increase the amount of music that is available for
the children and adults who we work with. Next year our conductive music group
will be incorporated into our city’s evening class programme for people with
and without disabilities. We hope to reach a wider clientele.
References
Deans
Stroke Musings
–
My blog –
I found
a quite a few when I searched my blog here is a small sample –
1 comment:
Thanks, sometimes for all the writing I do I wonder if anyone actually listens to me.
Dean
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