Expanding musical horizons
07.08.2023
When we’re young, it feels as though we are making new musical discoveries all the time. As we get a little older, we begin to form deeper connections with artists and tunes that have helped to give shape to our lives, and tend to lean into these familiar works. There are several reasons for why our willingness to explore new or unfamiliar music declines as we get older. But, there are also proven benefits to trying something new.
People around the world sing lullabies to their little ones and mark special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and graduations with song. Each time a piece of music is connected with a life event, or even a regular habit, it becomes deeply woven into our fabric. As these moments build in number over the course of our lives we begin to spend more time reflecting on familiar songs from good times than seeking out the new. But new music can give us just as big a rush even if at first it might feel a little uneasy – and, there are scientific benefits to incorporating it into our lives.
Research from musician-turned-neuroscientist Daniel Levitin has shown that what we think of as our ‘taste’ is actually the patterns our brain has formed around the release of dopamine. Our brain thrives on patterns. The more we listen to a new piece of music, the more our brain is able to form a pattern around it, improving its release of dopamine in the body to hit the right chemical balance that delivers a sensation of pleasure.
The premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is a famous example of this process in practice in the world of classical music. At the ballet’s premiere, audiences rioted upon hearing the music, having never heard anything like it before. However, with each successive performance, audiences grew more and more accustomed to the music, and one year on from the premiere, the work had become exceedingly popular. Allegedly, Stravinsky had to enter and exit performances with a police escort because he was being mobbed by adoring fans!
Bizet’s Carmen also opened to reviews ranging from disappointment to outrage at Paris’s Opéra-Comique, with one critic describing the music as “dull and obscure”. Sadly the French composer died believing he had written a flop, but Tchaikovsky predicted it would one day be one of the most popular operas in the world. Sure enough, a year on from the premiere, the opera’s rapid ascent to worldwide fame began as audiences began to have the same realisation as Tchaikovsky – that the opera was a masterpiece!
Building brain patterns to enjoy new and different music – just like Stravinsky and Bizet’s fans did – can have enormous benefits. Firstly, these pattern-building processes nourish the brain, as so many different areas of our mind are activated when listening to new music. Expanding your musical scope has also been shown in studies by The British Academy of Sound Therapy to build empathy and open-mindedness. Open-mindedness in turn leads to higher levels of resilience and adaptability to change.
If all this has convinced you of the benefits of widening your musical repertoire, and you’re looking for some ways to put new music listening habits into practice, here are some tips:
- Give new or different music your full attention when hearing it for the first time, rather than having it on in the background whilst you are doing other things. Attending a concert is a great way to do this, with the added benefit of experiencing the music and watching its intricacies performed live.
- If intentional listening just isn’t for you, try engaging with new music alongside a new habit to form a mental pairing, such as walking, gardening or gaming, which will help your brain in developing patterns.
- Finally, be patient and persistent. Don’t assume that because you don’t immediately like an unfamiliar piece that it’s not worth listening to! The more you listen, the greater the pleasure.
You can explore what’s on at WASO here and find concerts to expand your musical horizons. Coming up, we recommend:
Ravel’s Piano Concerto
Friday 11 & Saturday 12 August 2023, 7.30pm
Perth Concert Hall
Leonard Bernstein’s Divertmento draws inspiration from all styles of music. Enjoy an off-kilter waltz, mazurka, a samba, blues and even a Turkey-Trot!
Sibelius’ First Symphony
Friday 29 & Saturday 30 September 2023, 7.30pm
Perth Concert Hall
Featuring a poem, clarinet, banjo and sampled cow – a rare combination on any concert program, but all here in this playful celebration of heroes, great and small.