Though I’ve mostly stopped playing music, I find that my body seems to remember how to play better than I do. The last time I played the violin on stage was about 5 years ago, yet my fingers almost snap in place when I pick up the instrument. Certain scales and exercises are embedded in…
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Art Therapy on the Brain
During this period of stress from finishing midterms and beginning finals, there is no shortage of stress being passed around within and between individuals. Me personally, with 3 dance performances this weekend as well as 4 finals exams and 2 final projects, I’m definitely feeling the stress. Have you ever felt a calming feeling from…
Why Some Songs Hit Harder Than Others
I’ve always felt like music connects to something deeper in me. Not just in a “this song is good” way but in a “this song just opened a memory I didn’t know I still had” kind of way. For example, hearing “Scream and Shout” by WILL.I.AM immediately brings me back to my elementary school days…
Music: The All Natural Power Booster
For those among us who enjoy going to the gym or participating in any other type of physical exercise, many times we listen to or play music aloud. This may just be because we like to hear our favorite songs as we put that work in, but there is actually evidence that the music we…
How are we Connected Through Music?
Since I was 8 years old, I have always found music to be my creative outlet. It was not until I started taking music classes in high school when I realized that music had so much more to offer in a group setting. Making music with my friends was like nothing else, and there was…
Why can’t you get a song out of your head?
It happens to me all the time. Just the other day, I was sitting in the library, trying to focus on an assignment, when suddenly Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” popped into my head. I had watched her Coachella performance earlier that day, and before I knew it, that catchy chorus was playing on repeat in…
How Smell Triggers Memory
The other day as I was walking through the city, trying to find a quiet place to study, I stopped in front of a bakery when the buttery, warm, and slightly sweet aroma filled my nose. Suddenly, I was transported back in time: I was seven years old, standing in my grandmother’s kitchen, watching her…
Art Therapy in Stroke Recovery
Survivors of traumatic injury are some of, if not, the bravest and most impressive people on the planet. The mental willpower required to continue fighting mixed with the mental agony of remembering how you were once able to function can only be an excruciating experience. I am introducing my writing in this manner because I…
Surrealism and Dream Expression
People make dreams—fascinating, dull, scary, and many different types that you could think of. In the past, different cultures have use dreams for its religious and cultural purposes, for example, predicting the future. Dreams are believed to have important meanings in human cognition. Some people may believe that dreams reflect what the world is happening…
The Impact of Romantic Era Classical Music
Current romantic composers have been trending recently on social media platforms. Whether it’s Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto, or Chopin’s Ballade No. 1, there has always been a notable climax, the sweet peak spot of the entire piece that always grabs the attention of many viewers. Figure 1: On TikTok, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No….