Music As Medicine

Music, whether performed or heard, has been seen as therapeutic in the history of many cultures. How have its therapeutic properties been conceptualized and explained? Which cultures have used music therapy? What were their aims and techniques, and how much continuity is there between ancient, medieval and modern practice? These are the questions addressed by the essays in this volume. They focus on the place of music therapy in European intellectual, medical and musical traditions, from their classical roots to the development of the music therapy profession since the Second World War. Chapters covering the Judaic, Islamic, Indian and South-East Asian traditions add global, comparative perspectives. Music as Medicine is the first book to establish the whole shape of the history of music therapy in a systematic and scholarly way. It addresses the problem of defining what music therapy has meant in different cultures and periods, and sets the agenda for future research in the subject. It will appeal to a diverse readership of historians, musicologists, anthropologists, and practitioners.

This is the miraculous story of a music therapist who treats terminally ill and mentally handicapped patients with the medicine of music.

Why are we able to recognize melodies in our first days of life? Why does making music actually switch off the genes that signal stress? It is because music is part of who we are at the deepest level—and we don't need any special talent or training to harness its power to enhance our lives. With Music Medicine, music therapist Christine Stevens presents an information-packed resource, filled with scientifically-based practices for accessing and attuning to the natural healing properties of music. Drawing from a wealth of research and her own pioneering healing work in some of the most challenging places around the world, Stevens invites you to discover: Accessing the four elements of music-rhythm as medicine for the body, melody for the heart, harmony for the soul, and silence for the mindConscious listening-how to open yourself fully to the healing potential that music offersYour musical self-accessing your voice, spirit, and inner music for healing and changeClinical research, case studies, and stories that reveal music's extraordinary capacity to reduce stress, prevent illness, and strengthen the immune systemHow music connects us to each other and creates community, even in places of war and conflictInspirational guidance on how to use music for spirituality, personal growth, and well-beingHealing playlists-each chapter features valuable download recommendations and links for selecting healing musicThe drum massage, creating your power song, full-body listening, and other effective and enjoyable practices “Music's medicine awaits your discovery,” says Christine Stevens. “I invite you to release any doubts that you are musical, and to realize the power of music to nourish your body, mind, heart, and soul.” With Music Medicine, she provides a thoroughly researched and practical guide for integrating the healing benefits of sound into your life—and discovering the extraordinary transformation that occurs when we liberate our own inner music. “Music can provide the support we need in life's challenging moments, and more importantly, music can become part of our daily routine for spirituality and health. Enjoy this powerful path for your own healing—through the joy, and the great peace, of music.” —Joan Borysenko, PhD, from the foreword of Music Medicine “Music Medicine brings home to our hearts the truth that music is an organic medicine. Christine Stevens reveals how the intricate beauty of harmony, rhythm, and song course through our veins, uniting us with the cosmic music of the universe.” —Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Life Visioning and Spiritual Liberation “Music Medicine is an interstate of sound that awakens, soothes, dances, and silences us.” —Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect and The Harmony of Health “Each of Christine's lessons has helped me to become a musical instrument and a singer of my own song.” —Bernie Siegel, MD, author of Love, Medicine, and Miracles “In this book, Christine provides a powerful and educational curriculum for music therapists, musicians, and anyone interested in music wellness. Music becomes the language to unite and heal across the continents.” —Antoinette Follett, Editor-in-Chief, Making Music

A COMPANION TO ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN MUSIC A comprehensive guide to music in Classical Antiquity and beyond Drawing on the latest research on the topic, A Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Music provides a detailed overview of the most important issues raised by the study of ancient Greek and Roman music. An international panel of contributors, including leading experts as well as emerging voices in the field, examine the ancient 'Art of the Muses' from a wide range of methodological, theoretical, and practical perspectives. Written in an engaging and accessible style, this book explores the pervasive presence of the performing arts in ancient Greek and Roman culture—ranging from musical mythology to music theory and education, as well as archaeology and the practicalities of performances in private and public contexts. But this Companion also explores the broader roles played by music in the Graeco-Roman world, examining philosophical, psychological, medical and political uses of music in antiquity, and aspects of its cultural heritage in Mediaeval and Modern times. This book debunks common myths about Greek and Roman music, casting light on yet unanswered questions thanks to newly discovered evidence. Each chapter includes a discussion of the tools or methodologies that are most appropriate to address different topics, as well as detailed case studies illustrating their effectiveness. This book Offers new research insights that will contribute to the future developments of the field, outlining new interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the importance of performing arts in the ancient world and its reception in modern culture Traces the history and development of ancient Greek and Roman music, including their Near Eastern roots, following a thematic approach Showcases contributions from a wide range of disciplines and international scholarly traditions Examines the political, social and cultural implications of music in antiquity, including ethnicity, regional identity, gender and ideology Presents original diagrams and transcriptions of ancient scales, rhythms, and extant scores that facilitate access to these vital aspects of ancient music for scholars as well as practicing musicians Written for a broad range of readers including classicists, musicologists, art historians, and philosophers, A Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Music provides a rich, informative and thought-provoking picture of ancient music in Classical Antiquity and beyond.

Amy Robertson has taken her experience of starting a music therapy program from scratch at the largest admitting hospital in America and provided step-by-step instructions on how others can do the same.

Using musical examples from Bach to the Beatles, Levitin reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience. Music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, even more fundamental to our species than language. In This Is Your Brain On Music Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand it, and its role in human life

Explores music as a healing treatment for a variety of medical conditions, including AIDS, cancer, coma, senile dementia, and autism in children. Describes the underlying concept of humans as symphonic rather than mechanical beings, how music therapy research is conducted, and the place of music in a variety of medical settings. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Music recommendation systems are becoming more and more popular. The increasing amount of personal data left by users on social media contributes to more accurate inference of the user’s musical preferences and the same to quality of personalized systems. Health recommendation systems have become indispensable tools in decision making processes in the healthcare sector. Their main objective is to ensure the availability of valuable information at the right time by ensuring information quality, trustworthiness, authentication, and privacy concerns. Medical doctors deal with various kinds of diseases in which the music therapy helps to improve symptoms. Listening to music may improve heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure in people with heart disease. Sound healing therapy uses aspects of music to improve physical and emotional health and well-being. The book presents a variety of approaches useful to create recommendation systems in healthcare, music, and in music therapy.