How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain

InWhy Music Moves Us,Jeanette Bicknell, whoteaches philosophy in Toronto, andhas written widely on aesthetics and philosophy of music, offers a great insight on the emotional power of music.

When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What’s going on?

Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians’ brains when they play, and examines some o...