For me, as for so many people, Christmas comes with a soundtrack – not a playlist, because it’s more about what we all hear at this time of year. There are carols, sung in church or around a tree or heard on the radio. Then there are Christmas songs, old and new. Some people thinkContinue reading “O Come All Ye Faithful”
Tag Archives: Music
Mirroring My Mind
When music can creare and convey a mood with just a few beats, it’s no wonder that emotions and music & song are deeply interwoven on different levels. And this throws up many questions, exploring how and why music mirrors what we think and feel – or do we mirror the music? One way musicContinue reading “Mirroring My Mind”
Off The Scale
Last Monday was World Opera Day, so I’m writing here about opera – another in my occasional series of posts highlighting particular music genres and how they might boost wellbeing in different ways. I’ve already considered musicals, ballet, folk and jazz – now it’s opera’s turn. Opera is high drama. Costumes, sets and lighting allContinue reading “Off The Scale”
At The Keys
As Piano Month draws to a close, I’ve been thinking what might be distinct about the piano as an instrument, and why it holds such an important place in many people’s musical memory & imaginations. Piano music conjures up so many different moods. It can be joyful, triumphant, fun, playful, lively, wistful, dreamy or contemplative.Continue reading “At The Keys”
And All That Jazz
Hearing a tribute the other evening to Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (marking 120 years since he was born and 50 years since he died), I thought I would focus this blog post on jazz and how it can help health and wellbeing. It’s another in my occasional series of posts on different music genres’ impacts, fromContinue reading “And All That Jazz”
Innovate To Integrate
With the Paralympics only a month away, and Wimbledon’s Para Championship starting today, I remembered Paraorchestra, an ensemble I heard of recently for the first time, and thought I would focus my blog post on this. Paraorchestra was founded ten years ago by Charles Hazlewood, with the goal of integrating disabled musicians further into theContinue reading “Innovate To Integrate”
Creative Company
Maybe one of the main ways music, art and nature can boost wellbeing is by drawing people together, creating common ground to share. This can help combat loneliness: and this is Loneliness Awareness Week (14-18 June). This year’s theme is Acceptance, highlighting that everyone feels lonely sometimes. The idea is that by talking more openlyContinue reading “Creative Company”
Strike A Chord
Different music genres’ own unique contributions to wellbeing have been the focus of recent Medley blog posts on music, from musicals to folk to ballet – and I hope to return to this theme to explore other genres. But this time I want to look at music for wellbeing from another angle, by concentrating onContinue reading “Strike A Chord”
A Step In Time
Ballet might seem to be more about movement than music, but music is clearly integral to ballet’s impact: so it’s the latest music genre I’m exploring in my occasional series on why different styles of music might boost wellbeing in different ways. One genre I recently focused a blog post on was musicals, songs fromContinue reading “A Step In Time”
One Year On
Last Tuesday’s national Day Of Reflection set me thinking again about this last crazy year and how I for one have seen positives emerge in amidst all the darkness. Positives like people turning to nature, to music and to creativity in their droves, painting, drawing and crafting. Sometimes this has helped distract us, liberated usContinue reading “One Year On”
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