The Musical Mind
By: Afon (Mohammad) Khari
“The brain that engages in music is changed by it.” – Attributed to Oliver Sacks1
Have you ever wondered why a particular song can instantly transport you back to a distant memory? Or why certain melodies make you feel energized, while others bring a sense of calm? Music is everywhere—in the rhythm of a conversation, in the soundtrack of a favorite memory, in the quiet hum of a morning routine. It is a universal human experience, transcending culture and history, yet deeply personal in its impact. More than just an art form, music shapes the way we think, feel, and interact with the world, engaging our brains in ways that science is only beginning to fully understand. In this issue, we explore the relationship between music and performance through the lens of brain science and psychology.
At the heart of this exploration is the question: How does music influence the brain, and how does the brain, in turn, shape musical performance? This reciprocal relationship is examined through multiple perspectives—from cognitive neuroscience to educational psychology—revealing how musical engagement can enhance brain function, improve learning, and even shape our personalities.
1 Some sources attribute this quote to Oliver Sacks and some to Michael Thaut, but its precise origin remains uncertain.
Music and the Brain: A Cognitive Symphony
Michael Spitzer’s video, Music’s Power Over Your Brain, Explained, offers an interesting look into how music changes brain structure and function. He highlights the brain’s remarkable plasticity in response to musical training, explaining how different neural networks—such as those governing memory, motor control, and emotion—are strengthened through musical engagement. In other words, musicians’ brains are wired differently. Similarly, Patel (2008) found that musical training strengthens the connection between the auditory and motor cortices, making real-time sound-movement integration more precise.
Spitzer also talks about music and the brain’s reward system. Why does your brain light up when you hear your favorite song? Neuroscientists have found that music can stimulate dopamine release—just like a delicious meal, a hug from a loved one, or even addictive substances (Salimpoor et al., 2013). This explains why certain songs give us chills (frisson) or why music can be so deeply linked to personal memories. He also talks about how rhythmic structures in music synchronize brain wave activity, potentially enhancing focus and cognitive control—an area of growing interest in educational neuroscience. Music acts as a cognitive metronome, synchronizing neural oscillations that regulate attention and impulse control.
Stefan Koelsch expands on these ideas in Music, Language and the Brain, where he goes over the shared neural mechanisms underlying music and language processing. According to Koelsch, music engages brain regions traditionally associated with linguistic comprehension, such as Broca’s area and the superior temporal gyrus. This suggests that music is not just an art form but also a cognitive tool that can aid language acquisition and emotional communication, which is similar to studies in developmental psychology showing how infants exposed to music display enhanced language processing skills (Gordon et al., 2015). However, some linguists caution that while music can enhance phonetic processing, its effects on syntax and grammar acquisition are less clear.
Music, Performance, and Personality
What does your favorite playlist say about you? Studies suggest that the music we listen to can reveal deeper aspects of our personality. In their study “Just the Way You Are”: Linking Music Listening on Spotify and Personality, Anderson et al. (2020) reveal how musical preferences correlate with key personality traits. Their research, based on large-scale streaming data, finds that extroverts tend to favor energetic, upbeat music, while individuals high in openness gravitate toward complex and unconventional sounds. This is similar to studies done by Rentfrow & Gosling (2003) on the psychology of music preferences, which argue that our musical tastes reflect stable aspects of our personalities.
These findings have significant implications for education and cognitive development. If music listening patterns mirror personality traits, could they also inform personalized learning strategies? Recent research suggests that background music can enhance concentration for some students while distracting others, depending on cognitive styles and attentional control (Perham & Currie, 2014). This raises important questions about how music can be used as a tool for optimizing focus and engagement in learning environments.
Can music make us better learners? Can performing music rewire our brains for creativity and resilience? This issue of Mind, Brain, and Education brings together diverse perspectives on the relationship between music, performance, and cognition. The articles featured here explore music’s transformative power—how it enhances brain development, sharpens cognitive abilities, and fosters emotional intelligence. If music can rewire the brain, how might it be used more effectively in education, therapy, and even daily routines? As cognitive neuroscience continues to reveal the profound effects of music on the brain, we gain a deeper appreciation for this universal human experience—not merely as a source of entertainment, but as a powerful catalyst for learning, growth, and human connection.
References
Anderson, I., Gil, S., Gibson, C., Shapiro, W., & Wolf, S. (2020). “Just the way you are”: Linking music listening on Spotify and personality. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(4), 561–572.
Gordon, R. L., Fehd, H. M., & McCandliss, B. D. (2015). Does music training enhance literacy skills? Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1777.
Patel, A. D. (2008). Music, language, and the brain. Oxford University Press.
Perham, N., & Currie, H. (2014). Does listening to music help or hinder task performance? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 28(2), 155-164.
Rentfrow, P. J., & Gosling, S. D. (2003). The do re mi’s of everyday life: The structure and personality correlates of music preferences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(6), 1236-1256.
Salimpoor, V. N., Benovoy, M., Larcher, K., Dagher, A., & Zatorre, R. J. (2013). Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music. Nature Neuroscience, 16(2), 257–264.
Afon (Mohammad) Khari is a master’s student in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. He holds a BA in English Literature, an MA in Philosophy of Art, and a CELTA. Afon has been reading and researching on the integration of neuroscience into pedagogy.