Music as Medicine

Music therapy can help reduce anxiety and improve

y Serena Gordon

Posted 3/22/08

SATURDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Almost everyone has used music at one time or another to relax or perhaps to get energized. But the discipline of music therapy takes the use of music much further, from battling depression to combating cancer.

"Music therapy is an evidence-based practice that can affect changes in physical, psychological, social and cognitive domains through music experiences and the relationship that develops between the client and the therapist," said Cheryl Dileo, a professor of music therapy and director of the Arts and Quality of Life Research Center at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Just turning up the radio to your favorite tune to erase a blue mood doesn't qualify as music therapy, Dileo explained. "Self-help through music is not music therapy, although many people do use music for themselves, for example for relaxation to improve their moods, or to accompany exercise."

Music therapy, on the other hand, "involves an interpersonal process through which a trained therapist uses his or her knowledge and skills to address the client's assessed needs and issues," she said. "Although many people understand intuitively how to use music for themselves, when it is used within a music-therapy process by a trained therapist, it can be a powerful means to achieving positive physical, psychological, cognitive and social outcomes."

The uses of music therapy are myriad, according to Dileo. Music therapy can be used to reduce the anxiety of hospital patients undergoing difficult medical procedures. It can help lessen pain and improve mood, she said. Music therapy can also help depressed patients express their feelings.

Music therapy has been used to keep Alzheimer's patients calm and help them improve their memories at the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services in New York City.

At Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, board-certified music therapist Elizabeth Pociask uses music therapy to help new parents calm their infants.

Dileo said that music therapists should be board-certified, which means they've attended at least a four-year college program, as well as completed a supervised internship and have passed a national exam.

However, less formal music programs can be helpful as well. Katherine Puckett, national director of mind-body medicine at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said that while they don't have board-certified music therapists on staff, the centers do use music as a means to help their patients.

"Music can activate the relaxation response, which helps promote deep breathing, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, ease muscle tension and create less stress. That can help cancer patients sleep better, and difficulty sleeping is a common problem for cancer patients," Puckett said.

"Relaxing the body can also help relieve physical pain, and people may need less pain medication," she added.

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America keep a library of music available for patients to use, and they have special events, such as drumming circles, that help provide an emotional release for their patients, Puckett said. "Some people can release their emotions through talking, but sometimes people need a non-verbal release. We've had people moved to tears in our special events," she said.

"People respond to music -- you don't have to be sick to respond to music. It's relaxing, comforting and soothing," Puckett added.

Music of Spain

The Music of Spain has a vibrant and long history which has had an important impact on music in Western Culture. Although the music of Spain is often associated with traditions like flamenco and the spanish guitar.Spanish music is in fact incredibly diverse from region to region. Flamenco, for example, is an Andalusian musical genre, which, contrary to popular belief, is not widespread outside that region. In contrast, the music of Galicia has more in common with its Celtic cousins in
Ireland and France than with the unique Basique Music right next door.


Other regional styles of folk music abound in Aragon,Catalonia, Valencia, Castile ,Lion and Asturias and The contemporary music scene in Spain, centered in Madreid and Barcelona has made strong contributions to contemporary music within the areas of POP, Classical music, Renaissance composers like Thomas Luis de Victoria to the zarzuela of Spanish Opera to the passionate Ballets of Manuel de Falla and the guitarist Pepe Romero.

Life

Life like a Train. People can't control their life. Because , life is controlling us. The definition of life, the determination of the fundamental nature of living things, and the explanation of life's origin and evolution , have engendered much thought, debate and research throughout history. The perspective on life at any given moment in history, even today, qualifies as realistic and fruitful only to the extent of human knowledge at the time. In this article we focus defining the activity of living.
We focus on what essential activities living entities perform that enable their living — specifically, we focus on the fundamental processes of living, those that constitute the System that counts as a living thing, the "common denominator that allows for the discrimination of the living from the non-living", as inferred from the study of Earth's living things in the light of science. This article takes, as its theme, “Life is what is common to all living things on Earth” (Christian De Duve).
Those include the basic working unit of life, the biological cell, and the many molecular structures and processes cells have in common, including a boundary; the importation of energy and exportation of entropy;metabolism;information processing and communication; self-organization and self-defense; adaptation; death; (re)production from parents; and, cognition of self and the outside world.

DOUBLE BASS

The double bass, also called the upright bass or contra bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra.he name, "double bass," derives from the early use of the instrument to double—an octave lower where possible—the bass part written for the cello.It is a standard member of the string section of the symphony orchestra. and smaller string ensembles in Western Classical Music.In addition, it is used in other genres such as Jazz,1950s-style blues and rock"n" roll,rockabilly/psycho billy,bluegrass and tango.
Double basses are constructed from several types of wood, including maple for the back, spruce for the top, and ebony for the fingerboard. It is uncertain whether the instrument is a descendant of the viola da gamba or from the violin, but it is traditionally aligned with the violin family. While the double bass is nearly identical in construction to violin family instruments, it also has features that derive from the viols.

Like many other string instruments,the double bass is played either with a bow(arco) or by plucking the strings (pizzicato).In orchestral repertoire and tango music, both bowing and plucking styles are used. In jazz, the bass is mostly plucked, except for some solos (and also occasional written parts in Modern Jazz.)that call for the bow. In most other genres, such as blues and rockabilly, the bass is plucked.

CELLO

The Cello (plural cellos or celli — the c is pronounced as in the ch in "check", thus "chel-lo") is a bowed string instrument.The word derives from the Italian violoncello. A person who plays a cello is called a cellist. The cello is used as a solo instrument, in Chamber Music, and as a member of the String Section of an Orchestra. It is the second largest Bowed string Instrument in the modern symphony orchestra. the Double bass being the largest.

SUNIL SHANTHA

Sunil Santha (1915-1981) was a renowned and influential Sri Lankan singer. He was pivotal in the development of Sinhala music in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He composed the soundtrack to Lester James Peries' Rekava
in 1956.

Life and career

Early life (1915-1945)

Santha was born Baddaliyanage Don Joseph John on April 14, 1915 in Dehiyagatha, Jaela to a catholic family. His parents died when he was young, and Santha was raised by members of his maternal family. His uncle M.J. Perera was a musician and taught Santha to play the harmonium at a young age. Santha passed the school leaving certificate examination with the highest marks in his class as a young adult and was awarded the Weeraratne award. In 1933 he completed the Teachers Final Examination and began work as a teacher at the Mt. Calvary School. While tenured there, Santha led the school to three consecutive victories at the Southern Schools Music Competition. In 1939 he passed the Intermediate Gandarva Examination and received a certificate in physical training. He also learned to play the piano and guitar at that time.

In 1940 Santha gave up teaching and travelled to Shanthinikethan to study music. The following year Santha enrolled at the University of Bathkanda and worked to get his Visharadha Degree in 1944. He then adopted the name "Sunil Santha."

Radio Ceylon (1946–1952)

On March 2, 1946 Santha held a recital for the Kumaratunga Commemoration ceremony and was asked to record for Radio Ceylon. Over the next seven years, he would have several popular songs including "Olu Pipila" (the first song he recorded), "Handapane", "Ho Ga Rella Negay", "Bowitiya Dan Palukan Vare", "Suwada Rosa Mal Nela", "Kokilayange", and "Mihikathanalawala." Santha stressed his Sinhala heritage in his songs opting to sing in Sinhala rather than English and not copy Hindustani and Tamil songs of India. An occasional songwriter himself, Santha sang songs written by lyricists like Huberth Dissanayake, Munidasa Cumaratunga, Raipiel Tennakoon, Father Marcelline Jayakody, and Arisen Ahubudu.

In 1952 Santha was banned from Radio Ceylon after refusing to audition for Indian musician Ratanjankar, whom the corporation had brought from South India to oversee the direction of music on their stations. That year he married school teacher Bernadet Leelawathi Jayasekara.

Later life

Santha experienced monetary problems after being kicked off Radio Ceylon. He tried his hands at various trades like photography and selling clothes over the next few years.In 1953 Santha started a small school at the Maradana Newton building. He vowed to teach 10 pupils for free. Santha's friend Albert Perera (later known as W.D.Amaradeva) joined the school as a teacher. In 1955 journalist D.B. Dhanapala started a campaign to expose Santha's plight and raised some money through his column on Lankadeepa.

In 1967 Director General Mr. Neville Jayaweera asked Santha to come back to the national radio service. Santha worked with Amaradeva and H.W. Rupasinghe to develop music and audition new artists. Santha moved into his uncle's house in 1970. In 1977 a record titled Sunil Gee was produced.Shantha died on April 11, 1981 from a Heart attack shortly after his son Jagath drowned in a Swimming pool.

VIOLIN

The violin is abowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the Viola and Cello.The violin is sometimes informally called a fiddle, regardless of the type of music played on it. The word violin comes from the Middle Latin word virtual, meaning stringed instrument;^[1] this word is also believed to be the source of the Germanic "fiddle".The violin, while it has ancient origins, acquired most of its modern characteristics in 16th-century Italy,with some further modifications occurring in the 18Th century. Violinists and collectors particularly prize the instruments made by the Gasparo Da Salo, Giovani Paolo Maggini,Stradivary ,Guaneri and Amati families from the 16th to the 18th century in Brescia and Creamona and by Jacob Steiner in Austria.

A person who makes or repairs violins is called a Luther,or simply a violin maker. The parts of a violin are usually made from different types of Wood.(although electric violins may not be made of wood at all, since their sound may not be dependent on specific acoustic characteristics of the instrument's construction), and it is generally strung with gut, nylon /steel composite, or steel strings.Someone who plays the violin is called a violinist or a fiddler. The violinist produces sound by drawing a bow across one or more strings (which may be stopped by the fingers of the other hand to produce a full range of pitches), by plucking the strings (with either hand), or by a variety of other techniques.The violin is played by musicians in a wide variety of musical genres, including Braque Music,Classical,Jazz,Folk Music, Pop, pop - punk, and Rock "n" Roll.The violin has come to be played in many non-western music cultures all over the world.

Greatest Musician in Sri lanka

Wannakulawattawaduge Don Albert Perera (born December5 ,
1927 in Moratuwa) , better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, is a Sri Lankan vocalist and musical composer. Primarily using traditional instruments like sitars, tablas and harmoniums, Amaradeva incoporates Sinhala folk music with Indian ragas in his work.

In the mid-1950s, Amaradeva in his Janagayana project consulted experts of the Kandyan dance tradition like Pani Bharata, Kiriganita, Gunamala, Ukkuva and Suramba in his path to understand what constituted Sinhala folk music. Noting that it mostly revolved around a single melody, he decided to add verses that would lead up to the central melody which would now be a chorus thus forming two parts (unseen earlier in traditional Sri Lankan music) removing restrictions that had existed earlier. In doing so, Amaradeva created a uniquely Sinhalese music style that stayed true to folk tradition while incorporating outside influences. His work was vital in the creation of the sarala gee genre practiced subsequently by artists like Victor Rathnayake , Sunil Edirisinghe and Sanath Nandasiri.
Pandit Amaradeva has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Philippine Raymon Magsaysay Awards (2010), Indian Padma Sri Awards and Sri Lankan "President's Award of Kala Keerthi" (1986) and Deshamanya Award (1998). He has also represented Sri Lanka in many forums including the UNESCO (1967) Manila Symposium and composed the melody for the Maldives ,national anthem,Gaumii Salaam at the request of British Queen ElizabethII in 1972.

Early life and Education

Amaradeva was born the youngest of six children to carpenter Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Ginoris Perera and Balapuwaduge Maggie Weslina Mendis at Janapriya Mawatha in Koralawella, Moratuwa. Perera was a Buddhist while Mendis was a Methodist bringing both Christian and Buddhist values to the family.

Amardeva was introduced to music at a young age by his father who crafted and played Violines.Amaradeva would often strum the violin whle his mother sang hymns. Another family influence was Amaradeva's elder brother who taught Indian Classical Music to him. Amaradeva was presented with his own instrument on his seventh birthday.He obtained his early education under Ven. Malalankara Nayaka of the Koralawella temple. With the development of his musical talent, Amaradeva was asked to recite poems and prayers at the temple; he was subsequently picked to lead the village choir.Amaradeva continued his studies at Sri Saddharmodaya Buddhist Mixed School. While attending the school, he won a Poetry contest held at the Moratuwa Vidyalaya; Amaradeva also led the school choir to a triumpant showing at a contest held by the Colombo Arts Society. His poetry win prompted school teachers to get him a showcase to recite poetry on Radio Ceylon.In 1945 Amaradeva won a gold medal at a music and violin contest held by Jana Kala Mandalaya.

Amaradeva entered Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Panadura after completing his primary education with a scholarship for English. At the school, he formed a friendship with the Principal Danister Thomas. Thomas helped Amaradeva get into Kaluthara Vidhyalaya and subsequently Siddharta Vidyalaya Balapitiya.By chance filming of the film Ashokamala commenced nearby. Gerard J. Pieris of Moratuwa introduced Amaradeva to Mohamed Ghouse Master who was handling the music for the film and Ghouse recognizing Amaradeva's skill enlisted him as the top violinist in his orchestra.Amardeva left his studies and accompanied Ghouse to India to work on the film. He would play a triple role of singing, dancing and acting on the film with the song "Ayi Yameku Kale Ale."

Career

He found steady work as an artist on Radio Ceylon,where his unique vision and talent could be exhibited to an audience wider than he had ever before known - earning him a position at the Bhathkande Institute of Music in Lucknow - India.After extensive training, Albert returned to Sri Lanka as Pandith Wannakuwattawaduge Don Amaradeva.The name Amaradeva which translates as Immortal god was given to him by Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra (Sri Lanka's foremost playwright and a close associate).
During this time, Sri Lanka then Ceylon) had only begun emerging as an independent nation, and the question of what Sri Lankan music was, was slowly being addressed with equal vigour by intellectuals, artists and the general public. In response to the spirit of these times, Amaradeva began interweaving indigenous Folk Music with the Indian Ragas he had studied in Lucknow, thereby giving expression to a more sophisticated cadence. His other innovations include his experimentation with Western Harmonies and counterharmonies, as well as with South Indian and Tamil musical forms. His opus, however, remains the work he did with Sri Lanka's celebrated lyricist Mahagama Sekera, in exploring the contours of fusing classical Sinhala poetry with his unique musical intonation. In time, Amaradeva's music came to reflect an entire philosophy, reflective of the spirit of a nation.

He has composed music for Ballet, (Karadiya, Nala Damayanthi, etc) , film (Ran Muthu Duwa, Gam Peraliya, Ransalu, Delovak Athara, Gatavarayo, Rena Girav, Thunman Handiya, etc), Theotor (Wessantara, etc), Radio and Television, and has sung over one thousand songs.Amaradeva, and wife Wimala, have one son (Ranjana Amaradeva), and two daughters (Subhani Amaradeva, herself a talented vocalist, and Priyanvada Amaradeva).

Arabic Rock

Rock Music is popular all around the world, and the Arab world is no exception. There are many Arabic Rock bands that fuse the sound of Hard Rock with traditional Arabic instruments. Arabic Rock is gaining a lot of attention in the Middle East, with bands such as Massar Eggbari in Egypt,Meen and Dabke in
Lebonon,and in Jordan with bands such as Jadal. The band Hoba Hoba spirit from
Morocco also popular, especially in the Maghrebi reogion.Rachid Taha, an Algierian musician, plays a fusion of Rock and Rai.

Arabic music

Arabic music or Arab music is the music of the Arab world.

Including several genres and styles of music ranging from Arabic classical to Arabic Pop Music and from secular to Sacred Music.

Arabic music,while independent and very alive, has a long history of interaction with many other regional musical styles and geners.It is an amalgam of the music of the Arabs in the Arabian peninsula and the music of all the peoples that make up the Arab World today.It also influenced and has been influenced by Egyptian,Cypriot,Greek,Persian,Kurdish,
Assyrian,Turkish,Indian,African and European Music.As was the case in other artistic and scientific fields, Arabs translated and developed Greek texts and works of music and mastered the Musical Theory of the Greeks.

Arabic Pop

During the 1950s and the 1960s Arabic music began to take on a more Western tone with such artists as Abdel Halim Hafez paving the way.By the 1970s several other singers had followed suit and a strand of Arabic Pop was born.Arabic pop usually consists of Western styled songs with Arabic instruments and lysric.Melodies are often a mix between Eastern and Western.
In the 1990s the several artists have taken up such a style including Amr Diab,Samira Said,Hisham Abbas,Angham,Asalah Nasir,Kadem Al Saher,Mostafa Amar,Najwa Karam,Nawal Al Zoghbi.In 1996,(Amr Diab - habibi ya nour el ain) was released,becoming a tremendous success not only in the Middle East nor the Arab world but throughout the entire world. The title track, and its English version "Habibi", was an international phenomenon, becoming a massive crossover hit. In this song Amr Diab has mixed three music civilizations in one track. The Spanish music in flamenco music, French music by accordion solo and Arabic which showed in the playing of drums by Duff instrument and tamphits.
This song opened the door in front of Arabic music in the way of internationality and to be popular all over the world.

ARABIC JAZZ

Another popular form of West meets East, Arabic JAZZ is also popular, with many songs using jazz instruments. Early jazz influences began with the use of the saxophone by musicians like Samir Suroor, in the "oriental" style. The use of the saxophone in that manner can be found in Abdel Halim Hafez's songs, as well as Kadim Al Sahir and Rida Al Abdallah today. The first mainstream jazz elements were incorporated into Arabic music by the Rahbani brothers.Fairuz 's later work was almost exclusively made up of jazz songs, composed by her son Ziad Rahbani.Ziad Rahbani also pioneered today's oriental jazz movement, to which singers including Rima Khcheich Salma El Mosfi, and (on occasion) Latifa adhere.

VAKRA NOTES

VAKRA NOTES

In proceeding from a certain notes to an another notes when we don't go straight to that notes but to a notes bellow it proceed from that note to that required note,we go in vakra fation. An example could be given in the notes group "PA,DA,NI,SA,".The singer wants to go from "PA" to "SA" but with out going straight to "SA". He goes from "PA" to "NI" and comes again to "DA" and goes to upper "SA". Here "NI" note can be shown as the vakra note or in other words,If we starts from a particular note in another note eather or ascent or discent and come back to the straighting note again.Then the middle note or the turning note will be call Vakra notes.

THANA

Thana is a slow or fast movements of note sung or played in raga different forms or developing raga.Thans are sung different layers.

ALANKARA OR PALTA

The specific pattern of a certain group of notes can be called Alankara. They are described as paltas too. Students of music must practise lot of paltas. As they gived good swara and raga gnana as well as breath control. Alankaras beautiful raga.

KOMAL

When a shudda notes sound gets reduce by half a tone it becomes komal such notes is shown is music by a short line written .

TEEVRA

When the sound of certain swara, gets increased by one half it is called a Teevra note. It is shown in music by employing a short line over it. There is only one Teewara note in the saptak.

STHAI

The first part of a classica; compossition is called
Sthai.

ANTHARA

The second part of a song or an imstrumentale compossition is called Anthara. It comes after Sthai.

MATHRA

The unit of mesurement of time in music is called mathra.
According to the speed of singing or playing, the duration of a matragets varied:A tala is showed according to the number of Mathra.

VIBHAG

The various parts of a tala are called Vibhags.

AVARTAN

The duration of a certain tala, from it's first matra to the last matra of that thala, can be called an Avarthan.

SAMAGRAHA

The 1st matra of a certain tala is called the SAMAGRAHA. In sinigng and instrumental playing.It's shown with more forcce than ny other Vibhags. This is the most importan place in a tala. It is then first matra of a tala also. Here the Samagraha is shown be a cross an it is the sigin used for showing the Samagraha.

KHALI

Kali means blank a place where. Tal beats are not shown is called khali sthana.his is tha weakst point in a tala. It is shown in music by a circle. In practice it is shown by separation of hands. There is no Aghat on khal.The following example will larify khali.

BHARI

The place in the tala where beat of hands are shown, is termed bhari. It is also called Anutala.

VILAMBA

This is the first in order of the 3 generall layas used in music. The speed of movements of matras in this beat is verry slowed.This beat is twice slower than the middle beat.

MADYA

This is the medium place movement of matras in the tala. This beat is twice as past as Vilamba Laya (Lower Beat).

DRUT

This is fast speed of the movement of matras in the tala. This laya is twice as fast as madya laya(middle beat). Drut beat is employed in vocal and instrumental music as well as in dansing.

GANA SAMAYA

The particular time set for playing or singing particular rag in music is called Gana Samaya.