The Influence of Music | Vismaya Yogesh | TEDxBolingbrook Youth

Key Concepts:

• Music's impact on memory and emotions
• Music as a coping mechanism
• Music's influence on perception and mindset
• Accessibility to music and resourcefulness
• Neurological effects of music on the brain
• Music's potential for improving mental health and decision-making

1. Personal Anecdote: Music as a Refuge

• The speaker recounts learning Indian classical music from age four, initially viewing it as a chore.
• Parents motivated daily practice, which the speaker now appreciates.
• Music served as a refuge and source of happiness during a knee injury and subsequent rehab.
• Specific incident: A dislocated knee during physical education class required surgery.
• During a stressful car ride to the hospital, hearing a favorite song provided hope and helped the family cope.

2. Music's Ubiquity and Impact on Teenagers

• Observation: Teenagers frequently use music to escape stress, citing the common sight of students with earbuds in school hallways.
• Music helps people forget problems and change scenarios.

3. Experiment: Music's Influence on Perception

• Experiment conducted to demonstrate how music can change a scenario.
• A video clip was shown without sound, then with two different musical backgrounds.
• The first musical background made the scenario feel "scary and intense," while the second made it feel "adventurous and exciting."
• This demonstrates how music can significantly alter perceptions and mindsets.
• Example: Rap music is often perceived as fast and energetic, while classical music is calming, though individual perceptions may vary.

4. Accessibility to Music: The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura

• Addresses the question of what happens when access to music is limited due to resources.
• Case study: The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a group of children who create instruments from garbage in a landfill community.
• They use cans and plastic bags to create violins, drums, and other instruments.
• Highlights the resourcefulness and drive to create music even with limited resources.
• Even simple actions like clapping or tapping can be considered forms of music.

5. Scientific Evidence: Music's Impact on Mental Health and the Brain

• Harvard study (2020): 69% of survey respondents who regularly attended musical concerts rated their mental health as excellent, compared to 58% who attended once and 52% who never attended.
• MRI studies: Scientists have observed brain activity while people listen to music.
• Findings: Multiple parts of the brain light up simultaneously.
• Musicians playing instruments or singing in an MRI machine showed even more activity, described as "fireworks going off" in the brain.
• This demonstrates the significant impact of music on the brain and its potential for improving academics and extracurricular activities.

6. The Brain's Influence and Music's Role in Decision-Making

• The brain is a powerful organ that can influence decisions instantly.
• Knowing that music can impact these decisions is important.
• Music can be used to create different scenarios and control one's mindset.

7. Conclusion: The Power of Music

• Revisits the initial scenario of being in a grocery store.
• The lingering impact of music can make one feel lighter, more centered, and ready to face the world.
• "That is the power of music. It can change people's lives one note at a time."