What We Are Reading

In this scholarly, yet accessible book, the author who is a former rocker/producer/studio engineer turned neuoroscientist explores the connection between music and it's many aspects, and the human brain. The book is pretty wordy-not one that most of us will be able to read in a few nights, but to me quite enjoyable, especially seeing as I am not only a musician, but also a music educator. Levitin explores such things as how composers exploit the way our brains make sense of the world, why we emotionally attach ourselves to the music we listened to as teenagers, why 10,000 hours of practice, not talent, makes a virtuoso, and how insidious jingles and other tunes get stuck in our heads. He also argues that music is not an evolutionary accident, but is fundamental to humans, maybe even more so than language! All in all a pretty mind blowing piece of work!