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10 Crazy Facts Showing the Power of Music

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Music is Medically Powerful

“We are just starting to understand how powerful music can be. We don’t know what the limits are.” says Michael De Georgia, director of the Center for Music and Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He leads

1. A team of Canadian researchers found that playing music to preemies reduced their pain levels and encouraged better feeding habits, which in turn helped with weight-gain. This is now common practice in many NICU’s.

2. Listening to and playing music increases the body’s production of the antibody immunoglobulin A and cells that attack invading viruses and boost the immune system’s effectiveness.

3. Doctors are currently working to develop “dosable” and “prescribable” music therapy and music as medicine protocols that serve specific neurologic functions and attend to deficits that result from many neurologically based conditions.

Music Has Power over Performance

4. Listening to music during sports training can boost athletic performance by up to 20 percent. (That’s roughly equal to the boost some athletes experience from illegal performance-enhancing drugs… except exposure to music doesn’t show up on a drug test.)

5. When given a rhythm to walk or dance to, the beat serves as a footstep cue for the brain, allowing people with neurological damage caused by stroke or Parkinson’s disease to often regain a symmetrical stride and a sense of balance.

6. Lifelong musicians process sound better than non-musicians. A 70-year-old musician understands speech in a noisy environment as well as a 50-year-old non-musician.

7. Kids with regular music education score significantly higher, especially on vocabulary tests.

Music Has Power over People

8. Playing music from a specific region boosts sales of products from that region. (Playing French music boosts sales of French wine in liquor stores, etc.)

9. Fancy venues often play music that young folks don’t like to discourage loitering because music impacts teenagers’ attitudes and behavior. When the brain hears something it dislikes, it suppresses dopamine, (the pleasure chemical) and as teenagers’ moods fall, they go elsewhere to find something to bring it back up.

10. Shops often play background music to encourage spending in their stores. Classical music produces a higher level of sales than top 40 music, no matter the age of the customer. The interesting twist is that no more items were sold but instead, the customers opted for more expensive items when listening to classical music.

Tax to Promote the Arts

New Tax to Promote the Arts 

This is great news for the arts! Setting an impressive precedent, Atlanta, Georgia will soon vote on a new tax for funding the arts in the city! We can only hope great cities like Fort Worth, Texas will soon follow suite.

Atlanta, Georgia, known for being the “cultural capital of the Southeast,” is famous for it’s exquisite arts and hip-hop culture. Many people earn a living working in the arts by painting, playing music, or dancing. Atlanta has also become the third-largest TV and film production center in the U.S., and the fifth-largest in the world.

At Mayor Reed’s State of the City address on Feb. 2, he introduced a new initiative to the public in high hopes for his city: a tax fund similar to the one-tenth of a penny arts tax in Denver, Colorado that brings funds to art projects in the city’s metro areas. Reed plans for this tax fund to be a permanent addition in Atlanta. Mayor Reed advocated in favor of the tax partly because, “organizations like the Woodruff Arts Center are thriving, but our small and medium-size groups often struggle. Our young and emerging artists need support.”   Click here to view the original article.

 

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Music Junkie Camp Dates Announced

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Music Junkie Camp is just around the corner! This year, we’re offering two week options: June 19-23 and July 17-21.

Both camps are Monday through Friday from   9am to 2pm. 

For Ages : 4 (potty trained) – 16 years old. (Campers will be split into groups based on age and skill level)

 

Pricing at sign up: 

Before March 1: $250.00 per camper          Before April 1: $265.00 per camper

Before May 1: $275.00 per camper               Before June 1: $300.00 per camper

50% Due at sign up. Remainder due by the first day of camp. Deposit non refundable, but may be applied to the other camp week.

Campers will be exposed to many different types of modern music, play and learn about different types of instruments, and participate in a performance at 1pm on Friday!

Campers will need to bring a sack lunch each day. Water and light snacks will be provided.

 

 

 

Holiday Plans

Merry Happy Christmas Hanukkah Kwanzaa, Music Junkies!

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, especially musicians! Pull out your calendars and make sure to take note of the following:

1.) Music Junkie Winter Jam

Our students will be performing the holiday music they’ve been practicing for MONTHS!  Be sure to bring friends and family, because just like ALL Music Junkie Student Performances, the concert will be FREE ADMISSION. 

Friday, Dec. 23rd at the Winehaus on Park Place.  4:00PM-6:30PM

2.) Holiday hours

We will be open during regular business hours except for Saturdays, Dec. 24th and Dec. 31st. If you plan on missing lessons, please give us a call ASAP so we can schedule a make-up lesson!

3.) Holiday giftcard sale

Give the gift of music this year! Right now we’re offering $10 off Music Junkie Giftcards through Friday, Dec. 23!  Use code GIVEMUSIC at online checkout or stop in to the store and mention the promo.

As always, thank you sincerely for your support and business. We LOVE our clients! See you at Winter Jam!

-K

Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize in Literature

This past week, a huge controversy had been sparked in music history! Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Nobel Prize is a big deal. It’s an international award that recognizes achievement in a variety of fields. Past winners include some of the most famous and accomplished people in the world. Each year, the prize is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world.

Bob Dylan has been praised for his influential lyrics and poetic genius. He is a master of the folk genre, and his songs have been covered by countless artists. His work has had a profound impact on popular culture, and he is widely considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time. It is no wonder that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Dylan is the second American to win this type of award since Toni Morrison in 1993. Dylan is the first Musician to win this amazing honor and some don’t agree with the decision. In fact, a lot of people seem to think this honor isn’t suited for a musician at all.

The Controversy

Many people are upset because they believe Nobel Prize winners should be for people who write works of standard literature, not music. There is no denying that the Nobel Prize for literature is an prestigious honor. But I can’t help but think that it shouldn’t be limited to people who only write in a traditional sense. I think it’s a great time to break the mold and award the prize to someone who writes in a medium that is more accessible to a wider audience. After all, isn’t a major point of literature to reach as many people as possible? To open up people’s minds and imaginations, and perhaps even change the way they see the world?

Music works in a similar way to poetry. Both are forms of expression that can be used to communicate emotion and tell a story. Music can be interpreted in different ways, just as poetry can be interpreted differently by each reader. Music and poetry both have the power to evoke strong emotions. They can take us on a journey, transport us to another time and place, and make us feel things we never thought possible.

Both music and poetry rely heavily on rhythm and meter. The way the words flow together can create a feeling of anticipation or excitement, or calmness and serenity. The best music and poetry speaks to our hearts and souls. It touches something deep inside of us that we may not even know exists. 

Dylan’s Impact

Dylan has always been one to express his feelings through his music. And, when it comes to politics, he is no different. Many of Dylan’s songs reflect his views on the world around him. Whether it’s singing about the corrupt government in “Masters of War” or the fight for freedom in “Chimes of Freedom,” Dylan has always used his platform to speak out about the issues that matter to him. And, with a career spanning over 50 years, Dylan has continued to use his voice to promote peace and social justice. He is truly a musical legend who uses his songs to make a difference in the world.

Bob Dylan, one of the most prolific and well-respected songwriters of our time, won this prize for a reason. His lyrics are thoughtfully written and they hold up well against other intimidating writers. The fact that his genius is applied to music as well as lyric should be all the more celebrated, not treated as a disqualifying factor. 

I believe that Bob Dylan deserves the Nobel Prize in Literature. Whether you agree with me or not, I think it’s worth considering why his work might be considered literature. After all, he is a master of words and has inspired people for decades with his music.

What do you think? Is Bob Dylan a musician or a poet? Does he deserve the Nobel Prize in Literature? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

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