We may all be wired for music. But, as Adriana Barton contends, we are not all wired for a performance career in classical music. Parents, teachers and children beware that a strong partnership between all three stakeholders is required. And one more thing, perhaps the most important of all ingredients is joy. This is the message of Dr. Suzuki, the global leader in music education. “Every child can” was his maxim. If, however, joy is lost along the way, the path to frustration is assured.
The sub-title, “Search for Health and Joy Through the Science of Sound”. Is an excellent summary of the book. Well researched and well written, it is a credit to the who’s who of the Canadian music and health scene. To name drop a few references: the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec, Dr. Steven Pinker (Montreal/ Harvard( and Drs. Michael and Corinne Thaut (Toronto, Music and Health), Dr. Laurel Trainor (McMaster) and CIFAR, Azrieli fellows : classical music is alive and well in Canada, due in large measure to the avid and dedicated supporters who serve with pride as the informal ambassadors of culture.
Consider the time spent by aspiring performers – and athletes – from a very young age. Youth passes quickly as it is overtaken by dedication to building physical endurance, to conquering fear of performing in public, to avoiding errors in pitch, tempo, sound production and to making every note a pearl. There are tough barriers to entry into the profession. Competitions must be won. Financing must be secured for travel, fine instruments, universities and summer festivals, masterclasses -and the beat goes on. The author endured rigorous musical training at first rate conservatories in Canada and in the U.S.
Much has been written about “music therapy”, music and health. The powers of music to cure depression, assist with stroke victims, enhance memory in seniors, penetrate autism, alleviate the need for anaesthesia suggest a panacea. The author enhances the reader’s appreciation of music and health, a growing field, with an extraordinarily detailed reading list.
No less significant, the author offers a fresh and personal perspective on the need for healing that is experienced within the profession. Music is health. And the converse is also true. Musicians are human, and they must address physical and mental health and wellness. The author explores the repercussions on health of a rigorous musical education and offers her personal triumphs and struggles without gilding any lilies.
Wired for Music should be required reading for teachers in training, health professionals and parents whose children aspire to be the best of the best in the field. For those musicians who seek “balance” the author’s reminiscence will resound as a kindred soul. She describes wrestling with music’s magical, whispering shadows as she embarked on a non-professional path as a journalist, a mother and coming to terms with the sorrows and joys of life as an “amateur”. The word amateur draws on its roots of love. For those who undergoing rigorous musical training, “amateur” is not positioned as apex of a successful outcome.
But music could, and should, and would produce the ultimate joy at any stage. Because, as Adriana Barton contends, with heartfelt thanks to her mother for the introduction to music, music is a lifelong labour of love. A passion that is well worth nurturing.
Wired For Music by Adriana Barton (Greystone Books, 2022) is available in hardcover, e-book, paperback and audiobook (narrated by the author).
