Sometimes I apologize in advance to my Kindermusik families for how many times we repeat a song in class. But then I cheerily remind them that experts tell us that repetition strengthens the brain – especially musical repetition!

Kindermusik songs that stay in your head may be a little annoying to parents, even though the kids love it!  But it turns out that having songs in our heads – and hearts – may actually help us later on if we eventually suffer from a stroke or develop a degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.  Just do a search – the videos out there will bring tears as you watch how an almost unresponsive elderly person suddenly lights up when hearing music or being sung to.

Scientists still cannot tell us how the same brain that loses its ability to retain memory will still retain and respond to lyrics and music, but as the author of this article describes it, it’s as if the music “tickles the brain circuits,” the same neural circuits that “…may help restore speech and cognition circuits” lost by Alzheimer and dementia patients or stroke victims.  But best of all, listening and singing old songs makes these patients happy and for some, responsive on some level once again.  It’s as if music brings them to life again, and it’s only music that has had that effect in study after study.

This is the power of music – the same power that makes such a difference in the mind and heart of the very young.  And one of the reasons that I believe so strongly in the power of Kindermusik to change lives – for now and for life.

Contributed by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in upstate South Carolina has been building musical memories with children and families for over 20 years now.