“Adults who engage in synchronous movement to music later report liking each other better, remembering more about each other, trusting each other more, and are more likely to cooperate with each other compared to adults who engage in asynchronous movements.” This could be why music festivals seem to be going from strength to strength, we […]

This is a fascinating idea – how do we fall in love with music? And as we age, why do we like music less? This article explains the biological concept very well. “We know that musical tastes begin to crystallize as early as age 13 or 14. By the time we’re in our early 20s, […]

Most people enjoy listening to music, but some people do not. For some music just does not do much, either emotionally or cognitively. Studies around how people experience music can help us understand the mechanisms behind the enjoyment of music. This study suggests that “Our model posits (puts forward) that hedonic (great word, it has […]

Here is one of those research sentences that are so useful when we are explaining how music learning impacts on every child’s development. “The results suggest that systematic extracurricular programs, particularly music-based training, may accelerate the development of inhibitory control and related brain networks earlier in childhood.” This research paper is reporting on the progress […]

Communication is a way of creating connection, but it seems that possibly for autistic children, connection is a way of improving communication. In this study at the University of Montreal, 51 children with ASD ages 6 to 12 were randomly assigned to participate in a clinical trial involving three months of either a music-based, or […]

Imagine a music therapist and their patient wearing EEG caps. Imagine them working together and coming to a moment when the therapy was “working”. Imagine seeing the EEG signal suddenly change for the patient, and then seeing the same change in the therapist just afterwards. Imagine both the patient and therapist identifying afterwards that this […]

To get control of our inhibitory control, preschoolers might first need to get a hold of the beat! This study looked at the different impacts of a rhythm based music program and a melody based music program on different aspects of the executive function of preschoolers. Anyone who has spent time with a preschooler would […]

Music listening can change our mood, and that mood change can help us to learn, manage difficult emotions and deal with difficult life events. Researchers have tried to determine if certain genres of music are “better” than others for developing these vital life skills. This article highlights recent research into a genre you might not […]

What would the following behaviours look like in a preschooler? 1 – Inhibitory control: the aspect of inhibitory control that involves resisting temptations and not acting impulsively or prematurely – we would suggest wanting to snatch a toy from another child or jumping on to ask a question before the teacher finished delivering the instructions. […]