http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/robert_gupta.html
The TED talk that I researched dealt with the unique ability of music to act as a cure for some types of mental illnesses. This greatly interested me because as an avid music fan and a guitar player for several years, I connected immediately with this topic. I believe that music helps me relax and really soothes my mind, so I completely agreed with this study.
The talk focused on the speaker, Robert Gupta’s, personal experience as he interacted with the brilliant but schizophrenic cellist, Nathaniel Ayers. Robert talked about Nathaniel’s episodic schizophrenic fits, during which he would experience hallucinations and was prone to walking the dangerous streets of Los Angeles in the middle of the night. However, by playing music, and listening to music, Nathaniel was able to overcome his schizophrenia, allowing him to behave in a controlled, normal manner throughout his episodes. The talk finished with Robert playing a moving piece on the violin.
Robert Gupta is well qualified violinist, a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra since age 19. He got his master’s in music from Yale University, but much more interesting is his undergraduate degree – Robert has a pre-med degree from Hunter College in New York, making him perfectly qualified to study the effects of music on a person’s health. This unique combination allows Robert to not only engage himself in the music firsthand, but also analyze its effects on his students and patients.
For me, personally, this talk had a great deal of significance. Although I plan to pursue a Business/Economics degree in college, I also plan to continue playing the guitar and making music. This talk was very essential to me because it highlighted the importance of music in relation to health. That music alone can be such an overwhelming factor in a person’s health is a fact that should, in my opinion, be explored and studied to the furthest extent possible. It pleased me to note that music’s therapeutic effects were useful not only for rest and relaxation, but also for the actual healing of deadly neurological diseases. This talk inspired me to consider music as a possible minor in college; since I plan to continue playing the guitar, it would compliment my lifestyle. Overall, this talk was a great insight into the lesser known benefits of music.
Hi! This is such a funny coincidence because the movie The Soloist is based on Nathaniel Ayers and was produced in part by the company that my TED Talk is about. Anyway, Ayers's story is really fascinating and even though I'm not a musician myself I find it really interesting how much of a difference it can make in someone's life. It's pretty awesome that you chose this Talk even though you're not necessarily going to pursue music in college. Even though it's not going to be your main focus, it's great that you have a hobby like this that you're really dedicated to. Also, I completely agree that the physical and cognitive benefits of music ought to be further explored.
ReplyDeletePranav Pradhan, I am so glad you suggested that I read this, because I find the medical benefits of music to be fascinating! I never knew that music could actually have such a huge power in helping people overcome medical conditions, even those as serious as schizophrenia. I love how your TED talk speaker found this intriguing connection between music and health, and I'm happy to know that you're considering keeping up your musical hobby (especially since you're super good at guitar); it will help you stay balanced & well-rounded. :) Best of luck with your pursuits!
ReplyDeletePranav! I find it really interesting that music can be used as a form of medicine. Prior to reading your blog I knew that music is a powerful form of therapy, but I did not know that it can actually cure some cases of mental illness. It's really cool to learn that it has actually worked and can continue to work in bettering the lives of those living with mental illness. Also, it's great that you will continue to be involved in music even though you are not going to pursue a career in it.
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