News

Music Therapy For Dementia: Awakening Memories

April 05, 2018 - 08:05 AM Many of us have either heard or seen the incredible effects that music can have on people with dementia. Learn more about the Music & Memory Program, a non-profit organization bringing personalized music to seniors to “vastly improve [their] quality of life.” Thus far, the program has provided iPods to over 140 residences in North America. The Music & Memory Program The world was introduced to the Music & Memory organization through a YouTube video that went viral upon its release. The video featured a senior, Henry, who had suffered from dementia for a decade and was very withdrawn, unable to communicate…......

5 Reasons Why Music Boosts Brain Activity

April 02, 2018 - 08:05 AM Music is understood to be a great way to break through to dementia patients, but do you know why? A new study shows us how music helps those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more. Music has been known to affect those with dementia and Alzheimer’s, but why it has an effect on these patients has not always been clear – until now. Music Helps Dementia Patients Recall Memories and Emotions A recent study shows that dementia and Alzheimer’s patients can recall memories and emotions, and have enhanced mental performance after singing classic hits and show tunes from movies and musicals — a breakthrough in......

Neurologic Music Therapy Group Helps People With Parkinson’s Disease

March 29, 2018 - 08:05 AM Music therapy has proven to be particularly effective for people with Parkinson’s disease. Research in both music therapy and in neuroscience has shown that music can affect function in profound ways. In fact, some neuroscience studies have shown that certain types of music stimulate the production of dopamine and serotonin — two neurotransmitters (chemicals produced by brain cells) that are diminished in Parkinson’s Disease patients. Many individuals with Parkinson’s have problems with initiation and consecutive movement. They also have problems with slowness of movement, or bradykinesia. Music, particularly rhythm, can become a template for organizing a series of......

How does music benefit the brain?

March 26, 2018 - 08:05 AM Sometimes, watching a musician perform live can make us mere listeners feel like they have superpowers. Now, new research suggests brief musical training increases blood flow in the left hemisphere of the brain, but there are other benefits for listeners, too. Researchers from the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Liverpool in the UK conducted two different studies to investigate how musical training affects the flow of blood to the brain. They say their findings, which they presented at the British Psychological Society annual conference in Birmingham, UK, suggest the areas in charge of music and language share common pathways in the brain. In early......

Healing Harmonies: Music Used to Treat Stroke, Dementia, and Even Cancer

March 22, 2018 - 08:05 AM Maybe you've heard the age-old saying, "Music has charms to soothe the savage beast." Back then, people believed in the healing power of music. Today, hundreds of years later, medical research shows they were onto something. Music therapy is now a growing part of many treatments. For example, when a massive stroke tried to take James Rodriguez's speech, the Music and Medicine program at Virginia's Sentara Healthcarehelped him get it back. James belts out "Amazing Grace" and all the old hymns that bring back happy memories from his days in the church choir. How Music Therapy Works We actually use more of our brain when we sing the same phrase versus when we speak......

Music may reduce pain, anxiety after surgery

March 19, 2018 - 08:05 AM A new study has identified a simple strategy that may aid recovery for patients who have undergone surgery: listening to music. Published in The Lancet, the study found that patients who listened to music before, during or after a surgical procedure experienced less pain and anxiety than patients who did not listen to music. In recent months, Medical News Today have reported on a number of studies citing the potential benefits of music for the medical world. Earlier this month, for example, researchers found listening to music in the operating theater may improve surgeons' ability to close wounds. But how does music help patients? According to the authors of......

Egyptian Doctors, Therapists Explore Healing Powers of Music

March 15, 2018 - 08:05 AM CAIRO — Have you ever thought about how music can be used in psychotherapy or to regulate blood pressure? For Egyptians, the answer is probably no. On Oct. 8, the Ministry of Health announced that it would hold a survey on non-infectious chronic diseases such as high blood pressure in a number of provinces so that needs for medicine and treatment can be reassessed. A source from the Ministry of Health told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that music therapy is unlikely to be part of this study. “Despite our belief that the percentage of people with high blood pressure in Egypt is one of the highest [in the Middle East] due to heavy......

Live music shown to reduce stress hormones

March 12, 2018 - 08:05 AM For the first time, a study has demonstrated that attending a public cultural event can induce a measurable effect on an individual's internal hormone levels. The "stress hormone" - cortisol - was reduced across the board, among other intriguing changes. Often, science takes a little while to prove things that humans have always believed to be true. This study is a prime example, dovetailing neatly into folk understanding. There are no societies on Earth that do not have a musical heritage of some description. The primal and emotional aspects of listening to, and taking part in, musical pastimes are well-known. Over the decades, the study of music has expanded from a purely analytical......

9 Healing Benefits of Music

March 08, 2018 - 08:05 AM Music… loved, cherished, and admired by humans for countless ages. It’s shaped culture and society in very profound ways. It has started social revolutions and shifts in collective consciousness. There is a magical feeling that can come from music and its enchanting spell has affected billions of people in sometimes life-changing ways, as it continues to do to this day. In recent decades, many studies have been done on music to see exactly how much of an impact and just how influential it is on human beings and other sentient life. The discoveries are absolutely fascinating. Music as a Healer Mystics, sages, and others have mused about the healing properties of music. They......

Music exposure benefits babies' brains

March 05, 2018 - 08:05 AM Early music training can help children to develop a wide range of perceptual skills, and it may help them as they learn to speak, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Previous research has indicated that music training when young can improve infants' ability to process musical sounds and speech. However, it has not been clear from these studies whether perceptual differences between musicians and non-musicians are due to music training. It may be that people who already have superior auditory skills are more likely to become involved in musical activities. In addition, the quality and style of music training vary widely,......

News

Music Therapy For Dementia: Awakening Memories

5 Reasons Why Music Boosts Brain Activity

Neurologic Music Therapy Group Helps People With Parkinson’s Disease

How does music benefit the brain?

Healing Harmonies: Music Used to Treat Stroke, Dementia, and Even Cancer

Music may reduce pain, anxiety after surgery

Egyptian Doctors, Therapists Explore Healing Powers of Music

Live music shown to reduce stress hormones

9 Healing Benefits of Music

Music exposure benefits babies' brains

On Air

Find Us

The Team

Lora Cain

Ed Bazel

Terry Anderson

Julie Gates

Catherine Carter

Last photos

The River of Calm Livestream Holiday Concert 2020

The River of Calm Live Stream Concert March 2022 - Flutist Sherry Finzer

The River of Calm Holiday Live Stream Concert 2021

The River of Calm Live Stream Concert Series July 2021 - 10X1

The River of Calm Live Stream Concert Series March 2020 - David Nevue

Our Podcasts

The River of Calm Beyond The Music Podcast - Ed Bazel

The River of Calm - Beyond The Music Podcast - featuring Danielle Archer of The Artist Minds - Fear

The River of Calm - Beyond The Music Podcast - featuring Danielle Archer of The Artist Minds - Imposter Syndrome

The River of Calm Playlist - Study & Chill

The River of Calm Playlist - Chill Music To Study To

Contact us