Reaction Paper Title Page Essay

â€Å"The music is all around us, all you have to do is listen.† August Rush a 2007 drama film directed by Kirsten Sheridan and written by Paul Castro, Nick Castle, and James V. Hart, and produced by Richard Barton Lewis. Music has been part of our lives since memorable times. Undoubtedly, it has touched us at least once. Most people would agree that music is what helps someone to feel better or just to change one’s mood. In fact, different researches have already found a variety of benefits that it can bring. Advantages in the sensory area as well as in the emotional and cognitive ones are the most interesting topics that this current paper will analyze. Thus, one could understand and give much importance to Music in daily life. The sensory area involves everything related to senses and touch is one of them. According to Forgeard, 2008; Hyde, 2009; Schlaug et al., 2005; â€Å"Music enhances fine motor skills. Motor function is the ability to use small, acute muscle movements to write, use a computer, and perform other physical activities essential for classroom learning. The parts of the brain associated with sensory and motor function are developed through music instruction†. This helps to understand how important is music in the motor skills developing especially in children. One might clearly notice how difficult playing an instrument is; however, with practice it becomes easier. Hence, motor skills are developed. Children would become better in small movements like writing if playing an instrument is in their lives. Let us tackle on another benefit, emotions are part of any body and music may help us to change them depending on the situation. For example, when people want to feel relaxed, one thing they do is just play some music. Some people consider music as a relaxing tool in any area like work, school, home, etc. For instance, Jolkoyski points out that â€Å"Music gives pleasure and expresses nuances of emotional life for which there are no words†. Doubtless; the beat, lyrics, voice, melody or only the sound of any piece of music makes a person feel in a different place where nothing else exists. Then, by listening to music one can enter to an own world. Provided that music moves emotions, it also influences mood. There should be always a song which can change one’s attitude. For this reason; when someone is not calm enough; a soft song like a classical one can move it into relaxation. However, it depends on people’s likes because others could feel calmed with different genre. According to Bridget O’Connell â€Å"The effect of different types of music on mood will largely depend on people’s individual preference and experience† all depends on what people are into or love. Then, music helps a lot when emotions are involved. To the same extend, music plays an important role in the cognitive area. Researches have established that many different processes in the brain can be developed through music. â€Å"There’s some good neuroscience research that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training. When you’re a musician and you’re playing an instrument, you have to be using more of your brain,† says Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The Johns Hopkins University. As a matter of fact, one can easily become good at certain activities if music forms part of his life. Therefore, music should be included in all places so that cognition could wake up in a strong way. By the same token, Professor Nina Kraus, director of the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University points out â€Å"To learn to read, you need to have good working memory, the ability to disambiguate speech sounds, make sound-to-meaning connections, each one of these things really seems to be strengthened with active engagement in playing a musical instrument.† Then one can say that music helps our brain and the cognitive area in fact. Consequently, many different aspects in the cognitive development can be improved when music appears. To sum up, music will always form part of our lives. Good advantages could be taken if one notices how useful music is. Good sensory, emotions or cognitive would be the results of it. Thus, music should be in us since we are conscious of it and then anyone can be benefit of it. References http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/early-music-lessons-have-longtime-benefits/ http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/814331/10-reasons-why-your-child-should-play-a-musical-instrument-1 http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/health-benefits-of-music.htm http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/ http://www.aep-arts.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Music-Matters-Final.pdf