This almost universal responsiveness to music is an essential part of our neural nature…Why this should be so is still a mystery. Our research is only now beginning to unlock those secrets.
~Dr. Oliver Sacks
The extensive benefits of music and arts participation are well-documented; not only do they create a safe space for individual growth, but are increasingly seen as part of the holistic approach necessary in creating and sustaining healthy communities. The below research provides the backbone for the high-quality music-making and learning programs we provide for and with individuals and communities. It makes a case for the important work we do and for the essential role of the arts in community-building within the areas we serve.
This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but to provide an editorial overview of the range of evidence emerging about the beneficial effects of music in a variety of settings. We welcome your feedback and submissions!
Music and Health
State of the Field Report: Arts In Healthcare
Music and the Arts in Health: A Perspective from the United States
Arts and Health Care – Americans for the Arts
The Potential of Partnerships in Arts and Healthcare – The Power of Music To Reduce Stress
5 Amazing Reasons Music is the Best Gift To Humans
DrumsandGuitar.com – Benefits of Playing Instruments
Listening To Music Can Reduce Chronic Pain And Depression By Up To A Quarter
20 Surprising, Science-Backed Health Benefits of Music
Living with cancer blog: Turn on the music and soothe your soul
Listening To Music And Regular Exercise Linked With Improved Endothelial Functioning
Music and well-being in long-term hospitalized children
Neurological Effects of Music/Learning
Physical Benefits of Group Singing
Psychological Effects of Group Singing
Playing Music Protects Memory, Hearing, Brain Processing
Is Playing a Musical Instrument Good for Your Health?
10 Effects Music Has On the Mind
Music: It’s in your head, changing your brain
Music moves brain to pay attention, Stanford study finds
Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus
Youth/Children & Education
Top 10 skills children learn from the arts
Making Music Dramatically Improves Young Children’s Behavior
Arts and Cognition Monograph: Effects of Music Training
Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development
Arts and Education – Americans for the Arts
Creative Aging/Inter-Generational Program Benefits
NEA: The Effects of Singing on Older Adults
National Endowment for the Arts: Summit on Creative Aging in America
Can Singing Lead to a Longer, Healthier Life?
Music Training: An Antidote for Aging?
Your Aging Brain Will Be in Better Shape If You’ve Taken Music Lessons
Loneliness Possibly Causes Early Death
Writing Can Help Injuries Heal Faster
The Benefits of Inter-Generational Programs
Developing Intergenerational Relationships
Permission to Play: How the Intergenerational Arts Space (Re)teaches Creative Play to Young and Old
Intergenerational Programming Improves Community Life
Community
Arts and Community Building – Americans for the Arts
Arts and Disaster Recovery/Trauma
Park Slope Armory Wellness Center
My Hurricane Story (workbook for children)
Narratives of Disaster Recovery
A Cultural Approach to Recovery Assistance Following Urban Disasters
Trauma and Mental Health Report: Art and Culture
Dealing with the Effects of Trauma: A Self-Help Guide
General Disaster Recovery/Community Resilience Resources
The Effect of Relocation after a Natural Disaster (depression)