Where I am and Where
I Want to Go-
Music has unique
power over people in and outside the classroom. It has the ability to move us
to tears in a single moment, make that movie scene unforgettable, or turn a
classroom into a safe haven. I would like to explore the psychology of these
phenomena: why does music make us feel these ways? Additionally, each person
brings their own unique life to each musical experience, impacting their
reaction any given day. Music is deeply empathetic, which I believe is a strong
reason for its value in education, and its impact on students. It helps build a
community people want to return to. It inspires people to create, and the world
hungers for that inspiration.
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| UWM Concert Chorale |
The additional factor
in choral music versus band or orchestral works is text. Poetry adds another
layer of emotional impact that is impossible to ignore. Choral musicians study
pieces in countless languages from unique cultures, histories, and authors. If performed
with enough preparation and knowledge, the meaning of any language can be
conveyed to an audience that does not understand it. Emotional commitment involves
a devotion to text expression that musicians must work for—this empathy from
each individual also forms a stronger collective ensemble, deepening the bond
of the whole. There are pieces I return to for listening enjoyment today that I have not sung in years because not only does the piece hold sentimental value in my heart, but the memories associated with it.
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| 2018 Muskego HS |
There is also a vast
catalogue of music with no text, and it still has great emotional impact. There
are pieces that bring out joy, fun, and freedom upon first listen. Certain
songs bore one person and shatter another. How does an ensemble project a
shared emotion if the feelings are not agreed upon? When does a composer know
their work will touch peoples’ hearts? Overall, I want to deepen my knowledge
of music to better lead my future students. I have been wondering about this
concept since my time in high school choirs, and would love to provide some answers for
inquisitive young people like me. I have so far explored psychology research,
Ted Talks, choral education podcasts, and other potential resources linked
below. I cannot wait to dive into this topic!
Websites:
National Center of
Biotechnology Information
Psychology
Today
Podcasts:
Choralosophy
Music
Ed Amplified
TedX Lectures:
Music and the Inner Self
Articles:
Music Expression Study
“Emotion,
Engagement, and Meaning in Strong Experiences of Music Performance”
"Music is deeply empathetic, which I believe is a strong reason for its value in education, and its impact on students. It helps build a community people want to return to. It inspires people to create, and the world hungers for that inspiration."
ReplyDeleteThese few sentences are so powerful and meaningful. I don't think I've truly considered how important music is to education. I mean I think schools should have music classes, and have some focus on arts but reading your post made me think much deeper about this than I ever have. Thank you for that. I am so excited to continue reading your research for this blog.
I love this topic! I don't know anything about the relationship between emotions, psychology, and music, but understand that it's a very real phenomenon. I innately feel the emotions the composers are (I assume) trying to represent, but I couldn't tell you why major keys tend to be associated with and evoke happier feelings, while minor keys are often associated with the more negative and dark emotions. It's so interesting to feel these emotions so strongly while listening to music while not being able to tell you WHY these combinations of notes equate to these feelings. I'm so excited to learn more!
ReplyDeletewhat an awesome topic! Who doesn't love music? I remember watching a documentary about music in film and it talked about how music controlled the mood and all the emotions the audience felt. What a wonderful phenomenon to research, I'm sure you'll discover so much interesting content!
ReplyDeleteLast comment was Grace Armstrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting topic! I've always been fascinated by music and memory and how certain songs can trigger really strong emotional memories. Are you planning to narrow your topic down or just see where the research takes you? PS - I just heard a podcast this weekend that's somewhat related to your topic. Here is the link if you're interested (the whole program is super interesting but Act 3, The End of the Road, is the one that is most relevant) https://www.thisamericanlife.org/746/this-is-just-some-songs
ReplyDeleteHi Katie,
ReplyDeleteI think your topic is great and I am excited to see your research / perspective on the feelings that music can produce individually. For me some of my favorite songs are from my elementary music class, I loved the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas classics. Anytime I hear a song I learned in that class I think about my music teacher and how happy or excited I was in that moment.
I am excited to see your future blogs and learn more about your topic !
Shania Daniels comment
Katie, your focus on the emotional power of music is very intriguing. Music and sound a largely un analyzed in our viewing experiences with movies and video game but are incredibly influential on how we experiences and remember the experiences. I can imaging that your students will be very intrigued in this topic as well, especially if they are able to showcase some of the music that moves them as well. I look forward to seeing the texts you gather here for your students to read.
ReplyDeleteYour topic reminds me of "Alive Inside" the documentary that explore the connections between music and memory:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaB5Egej0TQ