Nicole Douglas

What we can learn from Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s friendship Sunday marks six years since Justice Antonin Scalia passed away. It’s a fitting occasion to remember the late Justice and his legacy. But one of the

7/7
Source: Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, p. xiii-xiv

Despite often being on opposites of opinions, Scalia and RBG found shared meaning in their love of music.
pacificlegal.org/antonin-scal...

6/x "final line of each verse as we sang the Dylan anthem ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’.’ Scalia got the joke, grinned, & lifted his glass. I have taken part in other events where a shared musical experience changed the atmosphere in wonderful ways, but this one was truly memorable.”

5/x "the other, sang lustily, & then announced with great bravado that Renée had wasted her time in opera, & folk music was a much better choice. He also suggested that I should keep my day job. In return, perhaps with a bit of mischief intended, I suggested the next song. Everyone joined on the

4/x "The assembled dignitaries, hearing [Ms. Fleming] were transfixed. I don’t remember what we sang next—maybe ‘Country Roads,’ maybe ‘Shenandoah.’ Everyone began to join in, including the 3 justices. The tone of the evening changed dramatically. Justice Scalia, with cigar in one hand & brandy in

3/x "[A woman] approached us & suggested that some group singing might help to bring everyone together... I soon realized that this was none other than Renée Fleming, the leading operatic soprano of our era. ...We quickly settled on an opening duet of [an] English folk song, ‘The Water Is Wide.’

2/x " 'Justice Scalia dissented—vigorously—that’s an understatement. And yet we were all together that evening at this wonderful dinner.’
"The air at the dinner table was a bit tense. …A 3-person band was off to the side running through some bluegrass tunes. Then the most remarkable thing happened.

1/x "[Ginsburg, Kennedy, & Scalia]. But the evening was fraught with significance-the day before, the Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage had been announced. ...Ginsburg described the scene in a subsequent interview: ‘Justice Kennedy wrote the opinion for the court. I joined him.

Day 13 - Music can diffuse tension

From the book Music and Mind. Quoting from the Foreword by Francis Collins, MD:
"It was Sat, June 27, 2015. My wife & I were invited to a dinner of Washingtonian professionals, held at an elegant country inn. Attending the event were 3 Supreme Court justices...

7/7 "While the author does go deep into scientific explanation early in the book, it behooves the reader to power through to the end to gain an appreciation of how science & music beautifully support each other."
As I closed yesterday: but don't take my word for it--read the book 📖 shorturl.at/ZCbCW

6/x "Ch10 provides an overview of research showing that learning to play an instrument increases proficiency in math skills, spatial-temporal reasoning, executive function, & sound and speech processing, as well as how childhood poverty negatively impacts auditory processing. ...

5/x "Ch9 [covers] what mirror neurons are & how they facilitate learning. It also discusses the fascinating results of a study that involved adjudicators & non-professional musicians choosing who they thought would win competitions based on hearing the performance vs watching it.

4/x "Ch7 covers how the senses work together & shares stories of musicians who experience traumatic brain injury, blindness, or deafness. An extensive amount of information on focal dystonia is included, as well as [resuming] music making. ... Ch8 [covers] visual, auditory, & motor imagery.

3/x "Ch3 covers how babies & young children process rhythm & pitch, synchronize with a steady beat, & develop early communication skills through music classes. ...
"Ch4-6 go into great detail about...how the brain stores & retrieves info, & how to increase music practice effectiveness. ...

2/x "[S]cientific evidence is confirming...that music leads to changes in the brain of not just those making music but also those listening & watching. ... [Ch1 shares how] researchers are helping understand previously untreatable diagnoses, lessen perform anxiety, & increase learning efficiency.

1/x "play an instrument, as well as current findings in music edu research. This book certainly delivers that. What is surprising, though, is how beautifully it weaves in stories of humanity persevering...because of music. The subtitle undervalues its audience. This book can influence everyone. ...

Day 12 - Book Review Sample
One more review I wrote. This time, The Musical Brain by Lois Svard.

For the full article, see Piano Magazine, Vol 15, No 4 (Winter 2023-2024); pg 60-61.
"Upon first seeing the title of this book, one might expect to delve into the brain science involved in learning to

The Music Advantage by Dr. Anita Collins: 9780593421451 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books An expert in cognitive development and music education reveals the remarkable and surprising benefits that playing--or even appreciating--music offers to children. The latest cognitive research has r...

7/7 'Pt4: Almost a Grown Up' (ages 12-adult) shares more research about how music helps w/ balance, decision making, creativity, innovation, managing stress, & study skills."

But don't take my word for it--read the book. 😉
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670698...

6/x "influences reading literacy & fluency, & how [it] can increase inhibitory control, stretch attention span, [teach] to 'love frustration', & promote neuroplasticity. 'Pt3: Bridging the Gap Between Childhood & Teenagers' discusses self-confidence, persistence, leadership skills, & memory.

5/x "'Pt1: From Birth to Big School' covers ages 0-5, beginning w/ how babies hear & respond to music, & ending w/ how toddlers develop their auditory processing skills & learn to read written language. 'Pt2: The First Few Years of School' (ages 5-7) covers topics such as how keeping a steady beat

4/x "when I’m feeling down that [student] isn’t progressing like I expected, I remember this book & that I’m playing the long game. It’s a great antidote for discouragement...Each chapter is filled w/ stories from real-life exp w/ learners, edu, & school admin, as well as her own reading struggle.

3/x aren’t just about being the best at your instrument. There is a lot going on in the brain, & this book can help parents learn to be patient with the process. When I’m working with community orgs & talking about funding opps, I use this book to show why $ put toward mus ed programs [is valuable].

"technical enough to show the facts but also not too academic that non-musicians tune it out. In this book, I’ve found the perfect resource. When a parent tells me, 'I think he needs to quit, he’s just not piano material,' I suggest they read this book before they decide. Sometimes music lessons...

"The Music Advantage, is a summation of findings up to 2021, & [helps] non-musicians understand why everyone should be advocating for music education at every age. ...I find myself needing to advocate for music education all the time, and I’m constantly wishing I had a resource that was...

Day 11 - Book Review Sample
I have a confession. I'm exhausted. This past week has been full of late-night orchestra pit rehearsals for a nearby high school musical. So today I'm sharing portions of a book review I wrote for Piano Magazine (Vol 15, No 3; Autumn 2023.; pg 56-57)
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7/7 We wouldn't have the lightbulb without thousands of "mistakes" first, or the latest hit song without a lot of imperfect, cheesy songs that came before.

Moral: The point of life is not to achieve perfection. It's what we learn along the way as we strive for becoming better than we were before.

6/x We performing musicians learn that when we do make a mistake, we have to immediately forgive ourselves & move on. My piano professor would call it missing the bus. If you are dwelling on the fact that you made a mistake, you're just going to get further & further behind & you'll never catch up.

5/x As musicians, we also learn there is no such thing as a perfect performance, because we are not the same people from minute to minute. Instruments respond differently to temperature & other sounds in the room. We learn to let go of the idea of there being only one right way to play a piece.

4/x Of course we strive for progression, & it feels really rewarding to get better at a skill. But now I realize we're supposed to make mistakes. The act of trying something & not doing it right is hugely instructive. I've heard experts say our brains learn more when we learn what something is not.

3/x "I need you to make mistakes in front of me so I can help you figure out what I haven't taught you yet or what isn't making sense or what strategies aren't helpful...or even just so I can see when your brain starts to disengage from the learning process so I can change things up."

2/x After years of teaching music lessons, I started listening to the lessons my students were teaching me. The students who were willing to make mistakes in front of me were learning more quickly than those who were trying to avoid making mistakes. Now I tell my students, ...