About

This neuroscience of music page is the product of my independent research project as a sophomore in high school.

Currently, I attend the Cambridge School of Weston in Weston, Massachusetts, United States. Last year in my second year of high school, I enrolled in a course called BioConnections: Cells, Organisms, and Society. During this class, I developed an interest in neuroscience as the questions I had asked myself for years relating to human behavior could finally be answered. This search for knowledge regarding neuroscience led me to have more questions and so last summer, I took an undergraduate level course called Introduction to Neuroscience at Barnard College. Taking this class confirmed my interest in neuroscience and inspired me to continue learning. In the beginning of this year, my third year of high school, I took Neurology of Teaching and Learning, which introduced me to the interrelated fields of neuroscience and music. Researching the neuroscience of music was fascinating work because I could connect two fields of study that have shaped me as an individual.

In the last several weeks, I have conducted an independent study on the neuroscience of music under the direction of two faculty sponsors. Throughout this time, I have read texts including Daniel Levitin’s This is Your Brain on Music, watched documentaries including the PBS produced Music Instinct: Science and Song, and watched numerous TED Talks, as well as read articles, and listened to podcasts. Several of these resources are included in this website. Neuroscience of music is a developing field and as more researchers and PhD students become interested in this subject matter, the wealth of knowledge and research experiences is rapidly expanding. However, the information regarding the neuroscience of music is often academically-focused and therefore, can feel inaccessible to the general audience or young students trying to learn about the field.

My goal in creating this website is to present information that is understandable to all audiences. Much of the content was found on professional websites and in scholarly research papers so it is credible. However, the layout and explanations of each body of content makes it accessible. In my research, I have found that the study of the human brain allows scientists to understand human behavior. Specifically, through learning about the “most complex living structure in the known universe,” we can answer several of the most pressing questions related to neurological disorders, and in the case of my independent study, one of the central questions was why are people drawn to music? Several examples of questions that helped to guide my research are the following. First, why does music have the profound ability to affect a life like no other art form? Second, what is sound and how is it processed? Third, why is music known as a universal language and is this the case? I consistently found the answer to be related to the brain.

Over the last several decades, neuroscientists have made enormous progress in the study of the brain’s one hundred billion cells and how they enable humans to read and write, communicate with others, as well as engage in learning and forming new memories. By extension, neuroscience is one of the leading fields of research in the scientific world. Through the process of inquiry, exploration, and discovery, we can lead the world into a stronger, more holistically-minded and progressive twenty-first century. This website is a documentation of my findings, but it also paves the way for other like-minded young adults to be inspired by this work and continue to lead the next generation into a more informed and healthier world.