WORLD MUSIC DAY.
Music expresses those feelings which cannot be put into words, and tthose which cannot remain silent.
-Victor Hugo-
The sound of our favourite song ringing through our ears boost up our spirits whether in a bad mood or a good mood. The sound of music gets our body move to its rhythm or it may also take us to one of our favourite dreamlands or may be down a memory lane.
World Music Day celebrates music in all its forms and the impact it’s had on the world and the human spirit. The Fete de la Musique also known as Music Day originated from France in 1982 on 21st June. Thereafter every year this day is celebrated in over 120 countries including Japan, India, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, the United States, the UK, and China and over 700 cities across the world. On this day anyone can play music outside in public places, parks even in auditoriums. Free concerts are organized and musicians play for love for music and not for payment.
In recent time World Music Day has become an important event in calendar. Musicians, singers, performers from various aspects of the society come forward to celebrate this day with great pomp and gaiety. The streets of various European countries are filled with performers and enthusiastic audience. Different instruments are played with great pomp enthralling the audience. Music Day brings all the people irrespective of all castes, creed, race, religion on a common platform.
It is difficult to determine when music originated. At least 60,000 years ago ancient humans experienced a “cultural explosion”. It was found they used to make various sounds in order to communicate with each other. Music may have emerged during this period and it is this music which have helped the prehistoric human to express their emotions, feelings, and send important messages for communication. The oldest musical instrument ever discovered is believed to be the Divje Babe flute, discovered in a cave in Slovenia , though this has been disputed.
Music gives us relief from anxiety, stress, depression and also helps to maintain the physical ,psychological and social well-being of individuals. Music requires no time to be played and anyone can enjoy music even at work.
Music therapy is one of the most popular therapy in the world. The following are some of the effects of music, which help to explain the effectiveness of music therapy:
Brain Waves:- Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state.
Also, research has found that the change in brainwave activity levels that music can bring can also enable the brain to shift speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.
-Breathing and Heart Rate-
Alterations in brainwaves changes other body functions:- Those governed by the autonomic nervous system, such as breathing and heart rate can also be altered by the changes music can bring.This can mean slower breathing, slower heart rate, and an activation of the relaxation response, among other things.
Music and music therapy can help counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress, greatly promoting not only relaxation but health.
State of Mind:- Music can also be used to bring a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay.
The uplifting sound of music and the positive or cathartic messages that can be conveyed in the lyrics can all be routes to a new mental state as well.
This can help prevent the stress response from wreaking havoc on the body and can help keep creativity and optimism levels higher, bringing many other benefits.
-Other Benefits:
Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which can also reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time), boost in immunity, ease muscle tension, and more.
With so many benefits and such profound physical effects, it’s no surprise that so many are seeing music as an important tool to help the body in staying (or becoming) healthy.
With all these benefits that music can carry, it’s no surprise that music therapy is gaining popularity. Many hospitals are using music therapists for pain management and other uses that support their patient’s health.
One can even use music to improve one’s own health. Music can be used in daily life for relaxation, to gain energy when feeling drained, as stress reliever when dealing with emotional stress, and in other ways as well. Music can dissolve the stress of a long drive, keep us motivated to exercise, and take us right back to positive experiences in our past, which can be a happiness booster and a stress reliever.
Article Written by Ballari Ray