How my violin saved my life Sarah Turner
When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What’s going on? Sarah Turner, Pymble Music teacher, explores the long-term positive effects of this mental workout THE SERIOUS AND REAL SUBJECT OF MUSIC
DR ANITA COLLINS – FOUNDER OF BIGGER BETTER BRAINS
“Music and Maths go hand-in-hand”
Dr Anita Collins is a researcher in brain
or “Music and Languages have much
development and music learning, as
in common”. No doubt, if you are a
well as a Music educator. Anita spoke
musician, you should be good at Maths,
to the Pymble musicians during the
or so everyone will have you believe.
2021 Sydney lockdown period to
This has long been a bit of a joke in
encourage them to continue learning
my family; how can I be so good at
their instrument. Equally importantly,
Music, but not so good at Maths? I
she shared her research about what
did complete 3-Unit Maths at school
playing music does to our brain. Anita is
(now known as Extension) and my only
a colleague of mine and I have attended
answer to this conundrum is, “Imagine
many of her workshops. She, too, began
how bad I’d be if I didn’t have music!?”
a journey into neuroscience and music
I have worked in ten Music departments in schools in New South Wales and in each of those departments, when it comes to subject selection, I have encouraged students and parents to see Music as a “real” subject. Why isn’t Music seen as a serious subject? I know it’s a serious subject – I spent years perfecting my craft and it was still never perfect. How do I encourage others to view Music as a “serious and real subject”?
to dispel the theories that Music is not a serious subject. In inviting Anita to speak to Pymble’s student musicians, I wanted the girls of Pymble to know what their brain is doing when they play music and what makes their brain more powerful, or shall I say, different to people who can’t play an instrument? This is likened to a superpower they may be taking for granted.
WATCH ANITA’S TALK HERE
Pymble Ladies’ College
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