What can you give someone who has everything? An amazing music EXPERIENCE.
As you wrack your brain trying to think of the perfect gift, consider a music class or series of lessons. The recipient will gain not only the direct experience of participating in the instruction but also the additional benefits of music on health and well-being, and the creation of a new hobby for them.
Research at Johns Hopkins University has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. Music sparks creativity in the brain; new music challenges the brain as it works to understand a new sound.
For small children and their caregivers, attending a music class together can create bonds between them as well as provide connections with other families in the community. Children are inherently musical and will love sharing this experience with a parent or grandparent. As the children learn a variety of age-appropriate skills (gross & fine motor skills, impulse control, coordination, etc.) the caregivers learn to respond to their children and support them as they learn new skills.
As we age, the needs of the brain changes. Music can provide the stimulus and exercise the brain craves to stay active. If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the aging process, listening to and playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout. For older musicians, new music can challenge the brain in a way that known music doesn’t. It might not feel pleasurable at first, but that unfamiliarity forces the brain to struggle to understand the new sound and arrangement.
Many adults find that with the time gained through the nest emptying or their own retirement, they have the time to explore new hobbies or return to hobbies from their youth. Many older musicians either return to an instrument they played during their school days or try a new instrument. There is also a growing population of adults who start music instruction without any prior experience simply because it is something they have always wanted to do.
If you are looking to provide a fantastic music experience for a loved one, Cumberland Valley School of Music has gift card options to fit your needs. Through our online store, you can purchase instruction gift cards in the amount that you desire. The number of lessons depends on the value of the card. If you would like to gift two individual lessons, a $50 card is perfect. If you have something more specific in mind, such as registering the recipient for a class, our amazing staff (email [email protected]) can take care of that for you and provide a beautiful certificate to present to the person.
