Goldenview Library's List: music_effects

Good discussion of the conflicting findings on the "Mozart Effect". Also a good, easy-to-understand site about music's affect on the brain.

It has long been obvious that music affects people profoundly. What is new, though, is that research is being conducted to determine the effects of music on the brain. Through this research much has been learned about the effects of music on brain function.

Researchers have found the first evidence that young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year compared to children who do not receive musical training.

The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper.

In this article, I offer interesting fi ndings in the area of brain research
as it relates to music. Though this will merely scratch the surface of
the topic, I hope you fi nd that science supports the notion that our
passion for music is benefi cial to our mental capacities.