Victor Hugo, French poet and author of Les Misérables, famously described music as expressing things that cannot be said but about which it is impossible to remain silent. Think of love songs and protest songs or music that makes you cry or dance with joy. Music taps into deep emotional feelings throughout our lives.
The link between music and emotions begins in childhood, and throughout our lives music can transform our mood. Sometimes it catches us unawares. Hearing a particular song may trigger memories of events many years ago. But sometimes we plan to use music to change our mood – to cheer ourselves up or to help us sleep. This occurs because music changes the chemistry of the brain. Music is, for all of us, highly powerful – but nowhere is it more powerful than in our work with young children.
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