Throughout the world there is the reverberation that every thing that exists started with one primordial sound.
This is borne out in many cultures and religious traditions. For Hindus and Buddhists it is the Om that is said to be the first breath of existence, the vibration ithat ensures life itself.
In the Judeo/Christian tradition: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Christian "amen" mirrors the feeling that is experienced when chanting the Om in eastern faiths.
Music and sound move us at our very cores. I know for me it marks a timeline of my life. It is in the background of everything I have lived through. It is the thing that shifts my mood, gets me moving, makes me dance and reminds me who I really am.
It took me aback how viscerally music hits us when my daughter got up from her piano and said, "When I play Bach, my head feels like I just did algebra."
In an article entitled "How Music Helps the Injured Brain," Michael Thaut, Ph.D and Gerald McIntosh, M.D. found that "First, the brain areas activated by music are not unique to music; the networks that process music also process other functions. Second, music learning changes the brain."
Local resident Anthony D'Erasmo and his company Digital DoctorZ recently showcased their piece, Monkeys Mayhem, on 20/20. It was played along with a video clip of alcohol-stealing monkeys under the influence in Indonesia.
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"Bottom line is, there is a resonant frequency, that when matched creates a physical reaction...it's when you're zoning out, that you let the music do the talking," said Jorge Mesa, employee at Sound Beach Music and bass guitarist for the band Ants Marching, playing at Painters in Bellport on March 25.
A hidden gem in our community is the free Noon Recital at Berkner Hall at Brookhaven National Lab, where on Wednesday, March 23, the Stony Brook Opera will perform The Wooden Sword and Fox Fables.
On March 25, at 7 p.m., at the North Shore Public Library, Simple Gifts takes the stage. Two women with 12 instruments present a musical mix of original compositions.
If listening to music has healing qualities, finding one's own voice takes it to another level. If you are looking for a night of fun, try out some of the local karaoke nights. Musician and Karaoke Master of Ceremonies Harry Zebroski of In the Mood DJ Productions will get you up and belting out your favorite song at Kelli's in Selden on Fridays, Momo's in Holbrook on Wednesdays and Arthur Avenue in Smithtown on Thursdays.
Musicians over millennia have attempted to take us to a higher ground, whether it be the harmonic chants of aesthetic monks or the the use of binaural beats by bands like Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam. They open doors to other dimensions.
Music is the universal language that lets us harmonize with the world. When we listen to a song, sing in the shower, hum in the car or whistle while we work, we tune into something bigger than ourselves. We shift into a musical meditation that allows us to transcend our daily existence and perhaps enter a higher state of consciousness.
