Every Brain Needs Music

Engaging and insightful, Every Brain Needs Music illuminates the connection between art and science and shows us the miraculous way our bodies and brains listen to, practice, and create music. From the architecture of music and the brain to the artistry of a transcendent musical performance, each chapter reveals why, for many of us, music is as essential as breathing or eating. -- Valerie Day, lead singer of Nu Shooz and Grammy nominee
Witty and brilliantly informative, Every Brain Needs Music evokes the love of music in all ways, and is the first book I will recommend to everyone who wants a deeper appreciation of music and life. From the deeply detailed description of our brains to concrete examples and strategies of improvement and learning, this book will benefit beginners and seasoned musicians alike. -- Mei-Ting Sun, professor of piano, Royal Academy of Music, and winner of the first Piano-e competition and the National Chopin Competition
Every Brain Needs Music shares priceless information garnered from the life experiences of the authors as artists, scientists, and educators and provides unique insights and a treasure trove of knowledge that all readers can benefit from. This valuable and informative book will help readers recognize the critical need for music education and the role it serves by enriching our aesthetic and cognitive lives. -- Yakov Bergman, music director/conductor of the Portland Chamber Orchestra, the Walla Walla Symphony, the Siletz Bay Music Festival, and the McCall SummerFest
Every Brain Needs Music is a thorough, but approachable primer for music lovers, music students, music teachers, and music therapists looking to understand how music is processed in the brain. The book presents a wide scope of music neuroscience literature, but in a way that makes it feel understandable. The complex topics are presented in a way that keeps readers’ attention, and helps readers make connections to their own inherent musicality. Music students and teachers will find this book helpful, and so will music therapists as a great refresher and quick-access guide for clear explanations to communicate to others the neuroscientific mechanisms underlying our clinical work. -- Brea Murakami, director of the Music Therapy Program, Pacific University
Puts academic analysis in conversation with feedback from dozens of composers and musicians. * Scientific American *
Witty and informative, Every Brain Needs Music evokes the love of music in more ways than one. * The Hindu *
A work of scientific popularization drawing on brain-mapping studies, insights culled from composers and performers, and the authors’ own experience with music making. Illustrators often go unheralded, but Susi B. Davis makes following the anatomical connections much easier; all due props, then. * Inside Higher Ed *
Packed with research-cited content but written in a conversational and easy-to-understand way, Every Brain Needs Music is an ideal choice for adult music students, teachers, and really anyone interested in learning about how the human brain learns and changes from engagement with music. * Piano Magazine *
Every chapter became my favourite and this is one of my favourite books! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale, highly recommended, and I hope I get to read these authors again. * Moonglo Texas *
Every Brain Needs Music provides an interesting foray into music and the effect it has on the brain. * Choice Reviews *
Presents a thorough synopsis of current musical neuroscience research. * Technical Communication *