While the importance of books, films, poems, paintings, sculptures, and more cannot be understated, music may be the greatest form of art. All of these art forms have done amazing things and shaped society into what it is. While these mediums have their strengths, music is able to stand apart by fostering human connection and bringing people together in ways that these other forms of art cannot. Music can transcend language and cultural barriers, while also bringing people of similar cultures together. One song can make one group of people laugh, and the next group cry, and the next group feel overwhelming nostalgia. People can develop connections with songs that are both deeply personal and shared with millions of others.
“Music is the universal language,” said chorus teacher Barry Wyner. “It’s the one thing that affects all human beings. And what’s so magical to me is that no one can explain it. It’s just an organization of sounds, but it somehow it manages to affect people’s emotions and moods and bring people together. And there’s nothing else that can do all those things, which is why I think it’s magical,” he added.
Music creates shared experiences between people. Thousands of strangers can sing the lyrics of a song that means something different to every one of them, and yet they still all feel a connection. In a study done by the National Library of Medicine (nlm.nih.gov), it was found that participants developed higher pain thresholds after performing music with others. Music is a constant in life for many; while watching a movie or reading a book is a commitment, music can play at nearly any time and not feel out of place. Additionally, singing or listening to music with other people releases oxytocin, which, according to Psychology Today (psychologytoday.com), enhances the brain reward system (joy and pleasure) in response to love and social bonding and contributes to a long-term relationship. Junior Connor Buxton said, “Music is its own language. There is something magical about people coming together to make beautiful music.”
Another way music has connected people is through inspiring change. Countless protests have had anthems and chants, and many songs have inspired positive change through their messages. While paintings, films, and the like can inspire people, music can rally people together and instill a sense of community in strangers. Sophomore Elias Vandoross said, “I feel like music transcends religion and language and culture. Like people will bond together using songs, no matter who made it or what language it is in, and that brings people together.”
“If you look at our music ensembles here at LHS, it’s a diverse group of kids all working together for a shared purpose,” said Wyner. “So in that way, they’re being connected. And that music also connects people because whoever writes the music is feeling an emotion, and then whoever listens to that music feels that same emotion and they have built a connection through that process, whether or not they ever meet each other,” added Wyner.
Music is a beautiful way that humans are able to connect. It is a form of expression so unique from everything else around it and is able to blend cultures and lifestyles effortlessly. The fact that a white woman from Utah can listen to a song made by a Hispanic man and resonate with it based on the emotion and sound alone is astounding. The human ability to make and feel music is a gift; it is best not to take that gift for granted.
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