Singing in the choir could be ‘the new exercise’ – here’s the surprising science behind why

Jonathan Blumberg | @YoniBlum (8:35 AM ET Fri, 23 Feb 2018 CNBC.com)

From CNBC:

“Exercise is one of the few activities in life that is indisputably good for us,” writes Daniel H. Pink in his new book, “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.” “Choral singing might be the new exercise.”

“Choral singing calms the heart and boosts endorphin levels. It improves lung function. It increases pain thresholds and reduces the need for pain medication,” Pink claims, citing research published in Evolution and Human Behavior. It also seems to improve your outlook, boosting mood and self-esteem while alleviating feelings of stress and depression.

Read this article about Daniel Pink’s latest book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing and watch a video on the CNBC website.

The Benefits of Music Education

A wealth of scientific research over the last decade is proving that music education is a powerful tool for attaining children’s full academic, social and creative potential.

• It speeds the development of children’s and reading skills
• It trains children to focus their attention for sustained periods
• It helps children gain an sense of empathy for others

“Musical activity involves nearly every region of the brain that we know about, and nearly every neural subsystem.”   – Daniel Levitin

Read the entire document (pdf opens in new browser window. (April 2014, The Royal Conservatory, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

3 Awful Things That Happen When Children are Denied Daily Arts Instruction in Schools

National Association for Music Education member Tony Mazzocchi reflects on the importance of the arts in education. As the title, “3 Awful Things That Happen When Children are Denied Daily Arts Instruction in Schools,” suggests, the author, a GRAMMY® nominated music educator, believes music plays an essential role:

Anthony Mazzocchi[/caption]Regardless of the social and economic circumstances of our time, the arts have an essential place in the balanced education of our children.

In all the education discussion I hear and the literature I read, the arts are consistently given little to no attention. At the same time, a large portion of our population is tired of having to plead to make the case for arts in schools. We all want an education system that delivers a broad-based curriculum that takes into account the continuing and varied needs of our children — not a system obsessed with academic learning alone.

Read the entire article on the NAfME website. (June 7, 2016 – Article originally posted on The Music Parents’ Guide)