Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Facing the music



It’s quite surprising how empowering music can be, perhaps the only worldly force that can touch the soul and mold hearts .Music, like any other form of art, has the ability to evoke certain feelings and emotions in us humans and perhaps that’s why it has a significant influence over our frame of mind and subsequently over our thoughts.   In my life of 24 years , I’ve always lived very passionately and boldly , going through various highs and lows of life, but the one thing that has always been there with me in times of joy and despair has been music – a friend to celebrate with and a shoulder to cry on. 

Back in my early years, I remember being part of the school choir as a flutist, in Islamabad Convent School. That was my first experience in learning any musical instrument. I distinctly remember the practice sessions that we had in our music teacher Sister Felly’s office, and how challenging it was at that time to get the do re mi’s right.  But even more importantly I remember the glorious performances we had, playing ‘Amazing Grace’ in front of large audiences, and hence, without even knowing it, I learnt two very important skills in life – coordination and confidence. 

In my teen years, I took guitar lessons for a little while, which was yet another crucial learning experience for me. I realized that in order to get better at anything in life, it’s important to be persistent and the best example for me was my guitar practices, where I could feel myself get better at it with every practice.  Moreover I learned that one song could be played through various chord progressions, and there was no right or wrong way to play it. That’s when I drew a parallel with real life, and came to appreciate other people’s opinions instead of just imprudently imposing mine on others.

However, it’s quite disappointing that our society still doesn’t appreciate the marvels that music brings and quite absurdly, music is considered to be pure evil and sinful. In most Pakistani schools, there is no concept of having a music class, not even at primary level and even if the school does offer music, it is considered as an unimportant and useless activity. What we don’t realize is, music and arts are just as important as science and math. Through art subjects like music, we get to enhance our creativity, and also learn to practice till perfect. Moreover we learn teamwork, coordination, and patience - values which are crucial for being successful in life.

Even if we look at it scientifically, music triggers the release of dopamine and oxytocin– those feel good hormones which are responsible for putting us in a happy and relaxed mood.  No wonder I like to start my days with a playlist of soft meaningful songs so I can feel its positive effects throughout the day.  Many may chose to deny, but the wonders of music can even be heard in the pristine Mother Nature itself.   If we develop a ‘ear’, we’ll begin to notice there’s music all around us- in the chirping of birds, in the soft whistling of rivers, in the clatter of the raindrops, and If we stop to imagine how the world would be without this natural music, maybe only then we would fully learn to appreciate how important it is to us.

Such ignorance and inability to understand the significance of art and music by our society really does raise a serious question.  Are we raising a generation of puppets, rather than creative, gifted, and tolerant individuals? 


Pyaar nahi hai sur se jisko voh murakh insaan nahi - Ammanat Ali
(The fool who does not love music is not a human being.)