The idea that studying music improves the intellect is not a new one, but there is new, strong evidence for it from a study conducted at the University of Toronto, reports Psychological Science, a journal of the American Psychological Society. The study, led by Dr. E. Glenn Schellenberg, examined the effect of extra-curricular activities on the intellectual and social development of six-year-old children. A group of 144 children were recruited and assigned randomly to one of four activities: keyboard lessons, voice lessons, drama lessons, or no lessons. The activities were provided for one year. The participating children were given IQ tests before and after the lessons. The results of this study revealed that increases in IQ from pre- to post-test were larger in the music groups than in the two others. Generally these increases occurred across IQ subtests, index scores, and academic achievement.

Music—be it an elegant Mozart symphony or the complicated jazz rhythms of Miles Davis—can relieve pain and lessen anxiety, according to two studies by psychologists at Scotland’s Glasgow Caledonian University, which found that people listening to music feel less pain, and that music can relieve the symptoms of anxiety for patients recovering from surgery. In one study, 20 people who received minor foot surgery listened to music of their choice as they recovered, while a further 20 who had undergone similar surgery did not. The patients who had listened to music, regardless of its type, reportedly felt much less anxiety. The second study used the “cold pressor test,” wherein volunteers immerse one hand in water at a temperature just above freezing. This technique has the effect of inducing chronic pain in the hand the longer it remains immersed. Those listening to music were able to keep their hand submerged in the water far longer, and also reported that they felt in control of the situation, unlike members of the non-music group. Dr Laura Mitchell, a music psychologist, said of the tests: “[Music] can transport patients away from a situation that would otherwise cause great distress or anxiety. It has obvious applications in a clinical sense, as hospitals are rather unfamiliar places to the general public, with machines bleeping and staff constantly running around. If patients can bring in something that they associate with being at home and relaxed, then it can only help them settle in an unfamiliar environment." Previous studies have revealed that patients with painful wounds that required repeated dressing suffered much less when allowed to listen to music they had chosen while the rebandaging took place. Simply listening to music has also been proven to reduce post-operative pain.

The same physical, social, and psychological benefits that make playing music so good for adults is crucial to a child’s development. That almost goes without saying, but for many years, school music programs have struggled in the face of budget pressures. But it’s not all bad news for music education. For the sixth year, a coalition of music education advocacy groups, led by the American Music Conference, has chosen the “Best 100” public schools where music is alive and well. In fact, they’ve chosen 101 schools this year, after an unprecedented tie. The 2005 roster includes school districts from 34 different states whose commitment to music education has enabled them to stand out despite many pressures. Large communities and small ones participate on an equal footing, and the results show that communities of varying sizes and levels of affluence have an equal chance of making the list. Once again, where people resolve that children won’t be denied music’s benefits, there’s always a will to succeed. The complete results, along with background information on music education and the survey, can be found at www.amc-music.org.

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, jazz drummer Milford Graves played in the New York avant-garde scene. These days he's still a musician, but he also explores how music can help heal the human heart. In his Queen’s studio laboratory Graves listens to the heart rhythms of volunteers using a host of diagnostic tools, including a custom-built stethoscope and sensors that pick up the electrical impulses of the heart. Software then allows him to focus on micro-rhythms within a single heartbeat. He says a healthy heart —like a good jazz drummer—emphasizes 3/4 time, not regular 4/4 time. If Graves thinks something is wrong, he manipulates the sound, speeding it up or slowing it down on his computer. He then uses this counter-rhythm to encourage a more normal pattern by feeding the manipulated sounds back into the volunteer's body, either through acupuncture needles or by listening. Harvard Medical School professor Baruch Krauss says what Graves does isn't so different from what emergency physicians do with abnormal heartbeats. Krauss stresses that Graves' work isn't ready for patient therapies, but he calls it "exciting, extremely original, and innovative."

Lung disease sufferers may want to consider music making as a means of strengthening lung capacity. Several hospitals and treatment centers around the country are offering harmonicas to patients with emphysema, asthma, and other kinds of chronic lung disease. These ailments cause small sacs in the lungs, called alveoli, to inflate so that less surface area is available for blood vessels to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. As a result, many sufferers are constantly out of breath and are at risk of premature lung collapse. Harmonicas are inexpensive and effective tools for treating the effects of respiratory illness. Hospitals are finding that teaching patients to play the harmonica teaches them some basic breathing techniques, which allow more oxygen to get into the lungs. It also strengthens the diaphragm and other respiratory muscles. Basic harmonica techniques, like “pursed lip breathing,” mirror the special breathing techniques that doctors and therapists encourage patients to use if they are having trouble breathing. As a result, patients become more aware of their breathing and are better able to combat the symptoms of the disease. Now those with lung disease can enjoy a new activity that produces both pleasant music and healthier lungs.