By Jennifer Bragg

Based on the six years I lived in Beijing， I know one thing is true： Chinese people love arts and many parents want their children to learn at least one of the classics， whether its music， calligraphy1 or drawing. I witnessed this firsthand when I went to see the house orchestra play at the National Center for the Performing Arts in central Beijing.2 The majority of the audience was made up of parents and young children.

I remember remarking at the time to my friends that in America you wouldnt see so many children at a classical music concert. Im sure theyd rather play video games or do something else with their time. They told me the reason why there were so many children in the audience is because parents are trying to encourage their children to learn classical music. Piano is a very popular choice， violin another.

I have read that Chinese parents think that teaching a child to play the piano makes him or her smarter. But is this actually true or just a popular myth？ What we know is that research shows that music has a unique effect on the brain.

Music， motivation and that “happy” feeling

Have you ever wondered why certain songs give you energy and bring out emotions？ Sometimes when we hear a specific song， we think of a person or an event that is recalled from our memory. Other times， a song can spark motivation or bring a calming effect if were feeling stressed out（try listening to a classical nocturne when you need a moment to relax—it is very soothing）.3

There are scientific explanations for what happens in the brain when we hear music we like. When a song gives us a euphoric or sentimental feeling， a chemical in the brain called dopamine is being released.4 Dopamine is the pleasure chemical that makes us happy. Think of the time you see someone you have a crush on or when you get good news about something. You may feel that wave of elation5， your heart rate may elevate， and sometimes your cheeks may flush because youre excited.

When it comes to music， if its a song we love， dopamine can sometimes be released in anticipation of6 our favorite part of that song. Thats because our memory recalls the feeling we get when we heard it before and triggers7 the chemical messengers in the brain to stimulate the brains pleasure center.

Does playing a musical instrument make us smarter？

A study by the University of Montreal in Canada revealed that the brain reacts in a different way with musicians compared to non-musicians. It also found that musicians have quicker reaction time with their senses and sharpened auditory function and tactility.8 This can be particularly useful as a person ages； the older we get， the more our reaction time naturally slows down. Music isnt just for the young； it can help the elderly， too.

There is also evidence that playing a musical instrument increases the amount of gray matter9 in the brain. Gray matter is the makeup of cells that process information. As a child becomes an adolescent and grows into adulthood， the brain has a way of getting rid of the unnecessary cells， which makes for stronger connections.

What this means is that a young person who learns a musical instrument may be more likely to have stronger cognitive and analytical skills. Their brains can process information more efficiently， which can help them later in life. Because an adolescents brain is still developing during the teen years and into the early-20s， if the brains growth process happens more efficiently because of music， that may result in a more mature and less impulsive10 person. （Impulsivity and immaturity are the hallmarks11 of the adolescent brain.）

Babyhood and music

In the U.S.， there are products that pitch12 the idea that exposing babies to the classical music “greats” like Mozart can engage and make that baby smarter as he or she grows. This craze was quite popular and highlighted a concept called the “Mozart effect.”

One popular brand is called Baby Einstein， a clever name for any parent who wants their child to be a genius. It promises to “stimulate your babys brain” but doctors dont know if thats exactly true. Experts in infant and child development say live interaction with people will have a greater influence on a baby， especially under the ages between 18 to 24 months.

Scientists have been trying to crack the mystery link between music and intelligence for years. Studies show that the person who plays a music instrument from a young age can have sharper skills in some areas. However， there are those who believe some people are simply naturally talented and just happen to be smarter than others， like with a person who is outstanding at math or artistic endeavors.

A perfect example is Mozart himself—he was a musical prodigy13 from a very young age. He began composing14 music at the age of five and played for Europes royalty. His father was a musician and he grew up from infancy around music. By the time he died he had composed 600 works. For centuries he has been revered15 for his incomparable musical talent. I count myself as a fan. So the question is： Was he simply a natural or did his early exposure to music create the genius we know him to be？

1. calligraphy： 書法。

2. orchestra： 管弦乐团；the National Center for the Performing Arts：国家大剧院。

3. nocturne： 夜曲（钢琴曲）；soothing： 缓和的，减轻（痛苦）的。

4. euphoric： 欢快的；dopamine：多巴胺。

5. elation： 兴高采烈。

6. in anticipation of： 预料，期待。

7. trigger： 触发。

8. auditory： 听觉的；tactility：触感。

9. gray matter： 脑灰质，神经细胞中细胞体的集中部分。

10. impulsive： 冲动的。

11. hallmark： 特征。

12. pitch： 竭力推销。

13. prodigy： 奇才。

14. compose： 创作（音乐等），为？？谱曲。

15. revere： 尊敬。