Did you know that when you play the accordion, you are benefiting your brain? When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What’s going on? Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians’ brains when they play, and examines some of the long-term positive effects of this mental workout.
Anita Collins explains how music benefits your brain and, therefore, your entire life. Excerpts from her website: Anita Collins is an award-winning educator, researcher, and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is internationally recognized for her unique work in translating the scientific research of neuroscientists and psychologists to the everyday parent, teacher, and student.
Lesson by Anita Collins, animation by Sharon Colman Graham.
Since 2016, Anita has traveled around the world to interview over 100 neuroscientists and psychologists about music learning and brain development, known as neurological research. Anita now uses the research to present, consult and advocate for an updated understanding of how music learning can benefit every child’s development.
Anita’s work first came to prominence when she wrote the script for the highly successful TEDEd video, How playing an instrument benefits your brain, followed by her TEDx Talk, What if every child had music education from birth? Anita is best known to Australians for her role as an on-screen expert and campaign lead for the Don’t Stop the Music documentary that aired on ABC in late 2018.
Anita was awarded the Barbara Matthews Churchill fellowship in 2016 which allowed her to travel to the US and Canada to learn from researcher leaders, such as Professor Isabelle Peretz from the BRAMS Lab in Montreal and Professor Nina Kraus from the Brainvolts lab in Chicago. In 2017, Anita was awarded a sabbatical to continue her studies, again in the US, Canada, and Germany with leaders such as Professors Glenn Schellenberg and Sandra Trehub at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Dr Assal Habibi and Dr Mathew Sachs at the Brain and Creativity Institute in LA. In recognition of her work, Anita was awarded the inaugural Australian Women in Music award for Music Education in 2019.
Dr. Anita Collins is an award-winning educator, researcher, and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is internationally recognized for her unique work in translating the scientific research of neuroscientists and psychologists to parents, teachers, and students. Her film “How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain” is one of the most viewed TED-Ed talks of all time. Dr. Collins was the lead onscreen expert in the ABC TV series “Don’t Stop the Music” and is Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Canberra and Associate Fellow of Music, Mind and Wellbeing at the University of Melbourne.
About her book, “The Music Advantage”: An expert in cognitive development and music education reveals the remarkable and surprising benefits that playing–or even appreciating–music offers to children.
When you watch this video and read more about the benefits of playing an instrument, you will realize that you can learn an instrument at any age. If you have an interest in learning the accordion, go for it! Buy an instrument, find a teacher, and begin an amazing musical journey that will result in new learning and new experiences. Want to share how you have benefited from playing the accordion? Send your thoughts to Ritabelll@aol.com
