Music Lessons Benefit the Brain

Once again it has been proven in scientific studies that STUDYING THE PIANO BENEFITS THE BRAIN!


At the 22nd meeting of the European Neurological Society from June 9-12, 2012, doctors presented the results of the latest two studies linking improved brain functioning with piano lessons. Here you can read the article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/246675.php
Studies by the University Hospital San Raffaele (Milan, Italy) demonstrated that test persons with no musical background were not only visibly more dexterous after two weeks of piano lessons, but their brains also changed measurably.  
It's not surprising that the participants achieved a dramatic increase in their small motor skills, I've seen that in my students hundreds of times. But what did surprise me is that after just 10 days of 35-minute practice in a two-week period, participants experienced significant improvements in brain functioning.


"Dr Elise Houdayer from the University Hospital San Raffaele in Milan declared: 'Ten days...can ...trigger changes in cortical plasticity similar to results reported for professional musicians.' The participants experienced not only dramatically more agility in their fingers, but also substantial increases volume of GRAY MATTER in their brains. 


What Is Gray Matter?
Gray matter (or grey matter) is a type of neural tissue which primarily found in the brain and spinal cord. Neurologists  associate gray matter with intelligence, intellect and coordination.
"Professor Massimo Filippi at the Neuroimaging Research Unit at San Raffaele Hospital concluded: 'Musical stimulation during exercise training thus improves motor performance and affects the structural plasticity of the gray matter.' 


Why is Gray Matter Important?
Here's a quote from Wikipedia: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_matter
"Significant positive correlations have been found between grey matter volume in elderly persons and measures of semantic and short-term memory. No significant correlations with white matter volume were found. These results suggest that individual variability in specific cognitive functions that are relatively well preserved with aging is accounted for by the variability of gray matter volume in healthy elderly subjects."
The doctors also hastened to add that the more complicated the task, the denser and better the structure of the gray matter.


So what can we conclude from this other than what we already knew, that piano lessons are an incredible brain workout? 
I hope you'll feel encouraged, when you're working on a piece you think you'll never master, or battling with a finger position that feels impossibly complicated. I hope you'll say to yourself, "This is ok! Doing difficult musical maneuvers is the best way to improve my brain. If it were easy, I wouldn't be getting the greatest cognitive benefits. I'll just keep working on it, and as before, it will come eventually." 


I salute your courage and fortitude! And I hope that in spite of the difficulties, you manage to sit back and enjoy the music you are making. I hope that even though you'll never feel that you've practiced "enough" in any given week, that you find yourself saying, now and then, "This is fun!"  
Please comment with your thoughts! Best, Gaili

Recital Season!

May is recital season. We walk those hallowed recital halls wearing our hearts on our sleeves, silently fearing the worst, but hoping for the best. Why do we agree to play in recitals? Is it really worth all the worry? Here are some reasons why teachers encourage their students to perform, and how to lessen performance anxiety:

Why is it important to play for others?

-Preparing for a recital motivates you to learn your piece thoroughly. Never underestimate the fear factor where piano practice is concerned! Your recital pieces are the works you tend to remember the longest, because you’ve rehearsed them the most, and have paid attention to the details. 

-It's important to become more comfortable playing in front of others. Even if you take lessons just to play for yourself, you will be approached by others and asked to play, and the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

-You get an exhilarating feeling of accomplishment when you have completed a piece and performed it in public. It’s like a graduation ceremony!

-You get to see your fellow students grow and learn along with you. Participating in a student recital fosters a wonderful sense of camaraderie and mutual support. No one expects you to play flawlessly; your audience is on your side!

-Playing music is a gift to the community. When you play, others get to enjoy hearing your music, and you get to enjoy hearing theirs.

Preparing for a recital:

-Practice starting from various points in your music, so that if you get lost while performing, you don’t have to restart from the very beginning.

-Practice playing in front of friends and family members on different pianos, at different times of the day. Mix it up so that you become more adaptable.

-Practice playing without stopping to correct mistakes. Just let the mistakes go, and move on. Then, at other times, work just on your problem sections by drilling over and over until you have them down.

-If you find that you’re having a lot of trouble with a part of your piece the week before the recital, ask your teacher if there’s a way of omitting that section from the piece for this performance. Pick a piece that you feel comfortable playing. If you’re struggling with your piece even when you’re alone, you might not be ready to perform it. Keep practicing it for the next performance opportunity!

-On the recital day, do something that relaxes you. Meditate, watch a funny movie, dance, take a run, listen to soothing music, or do whatever works for you.

Strategies for alleviating stage fright:

-Stage fright occurs when we are focused on our performance, instead of focusing on the music itself. Remember, it’s about the music; it’s not about you. Practice keeping yourself completely involved in your music- the melody, the rhythm, the sounds you are producing with your body and your expression.

-Anxiety disrupts normal breathing patterns producing shallow breaths. Deep breathing before and during a performance relaxes the body. When I make mistakes, I take deep breaths to calm myself.

-While you are waiting to play, try progressive muscle relation. Squeeze and relax muscles beginning with your feet, moving up through your body to your shoulders, arms and hands.

-Violinist Paul Hirata of Seattle teaches musicians to “halve your anxiety.”  Inhale, exhale, relax, loosen your tight muscles, and let go of half your tension, saying quietly to yourself, half. Then take another breath in and out, relax a bit more, and let go of another half of the tension that remains. Continue breathing and relaxing and saying half, half, half…

-Let go of expecting perfection. So many of my students seem to believe that if they make mistakes it ruins the piece. That’s absolutely not true. Forget about the mistakes immediately, breathe, and focus on the sound of your music.

-Be as loving and non-judgmental with yourself as you are with the rest of the students performing. If you are taking piano lessons it’s understood that you are learning, and not a professional. However you play, it will be enjoyable for everyone else to hear your music. You are good enough just as you are.

-If you are looking for some extra help, experiment with these before the recital day. Herbal remedies such as relaxation teas or valerian capsules, or homeopathic remedies such as Calms or Rescue Remedy are said to take the edge off of anxiety. Some professional musicians use beta-blockers such as Inderal, to subdue stage fright. However, beta-blockers can create a detached feeling, which makes it difficult to connect with one’s own music. Make sure if you decide to try one of these, that you try them well before the recital to observe the effects they have on you and your ability to play.

-Play with love and joy. This is your hobby! Don’t sweat it too much. 

NUTRITION: Get Chopping!

The old adage, "You are what you eat," still rings true. Although there are many factors that determine our state of health, one thing that we have control over is what we consume every day. It's generally accepted that a Mediterranean-style diet is the best for health and longevity. 

Based on the eating habits of Greeks and Italians, the diet emphasizes mostly plant foods, fresh fruit, olive oil, nuts and avocados as the principal sources of fat, a little dairy products (cheese and yogurt), fish and poultry, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in very small amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts. 

Easier said than done? 

Here are some ways to make consuming abundant plant foods more practical.

Do you have any space to grow a few vegetables? Even if you live in an apartment, if you have any outdoor space on a balcony or outside your door, you can grow plants like broccoli,  spinach and kale in pots. If you google "container gardening,"  you'll get about 20 million hits on how to do it. I have a few vegetable patches and pots in my small yard, and absolutely love seeing my plants grow without much fuss other than watering and making sure they get enough sun. (That is, if you start off by mixing good organic compost into your soil.) The great thing about growing your own is that there is less waste. I pull off cabbage and swiss chard leaves as I need them, instead of buying huge bunches at Whole Foods. But on the other hand, maybe you'll eat more veggies if you buy them and see them staring you in the face each time you open your refrigerator!  

We are all so busy- how do we find the time to prepare a steady supply of vegetables?

Here's what I do: 

I put on some great music in the kitchen, gather together lots of dark leafy green veggies such as kale, Swiss chard, spinach, and broccoli, and start chopping. Sometimes I add some onions, mushrooms, beets, carrots and tomatoes, (be sure to use a wide variety of colors for optimum health!) and I steam them or stir fry them in olive oil until they are al dente (a little firm). Then I put them in an airtight container in the fridge--enough for 3 days or so. Every time I make eggs, open a can of soup or beans, steam some brown rice, or bake potatoes, I throw in some of my veggie mix at the end, to warm them up. That's at least twice per day. It's important to eat raw foods too, such as fruit and salads, but using my veggie stash makes me feel like I'm getting what I need to stay healthy, when I'm in a hurry. Don't think you can rely on vitamin supplements! You need the real thing for a healthy body. If you aren't crazy about the taste, throw some parmesan cheese on top (a great cheese for people with osteoporosis).

Ok, that's the good news. Here's the bad news:

Stay away from foods made from flour. 

I know, that hurts. 

Pasta and cookies and bread, OH MY! 

None of it is good for you. But it tastes so good! Well, as our moms and grandmas said, "All things in moderation." Limit yourself to just a bit of food made from refined flours and sugars. This is the path to true health and weight control. I know, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and steel cut oats just aren't as yummy as a hot buttered croissant, but close your eyes, and imagine yourself at the weight and health level you'd like to be, and make it your priority to change your eating habits. Walk away from temptation! In a half hour you won't even want it anymore. (Well, not nearly as much anyway.) The rewards are widespread: brain and body health, beauty, and increased energy and immunity. 

If you just have to have that piece of cake, enjoy it. Don't waste your time feeling guilty. But notice how you feel afterwards. And tomorrow you can make up for it with a green salad and a brisk 30 minute walk. 

Meanwhile, start chopping! 

Welcome to the Upper Hands Piano Blog!

First I want to thank all of you who visited our booth at the  Music Teacher's National Association (MTNA) conference in New York, where we launched our new book:

UPPER HANDS PIANO: A Method for ADULTS 50+ to SPARK the Mind, Heart and Soul. Melinda Bateman (Editor) and I were touched by the overwhelming piano teacher support and interest in our method. We kept hearing that there is a tremendous need for a piano method book for older adults, and we agree!
I have started this blog to give Upper Hands Piano students, teachers and friends the latest information about Music and the Brain. Please subscribe to our blog to get updates delivered to your email address. We welcome your comments and hope you'll help us spread the word about our BLOG and books (Book 2 should be out by August 2012!).
Thanks for following my blog! Warmly, Gaili