Last week, I had the liberty of composing an article centered around the tolling nature of college decisions. 

Within this article, I highlighted the infamous advice: rejection is redirection. This is a hard reality to digest in the heat of the moment, at the peak of what appears to be devastation, collateral damage, or a situation simply lacking sense or reason. 

One notion that tethers my tight-knit family of five together is live music. Our motto has always been, life is short, buy the tickets. From a young age, it was abundantly clear that the captivating essence of live music not only fueled my family’s bond but also united entire bodies of individuals. Music can mend wounds, transcend perspectives, or even welcome reason to an affair lacking such. 

Recently, I have felt the gravity of college decisions. Life has been feeling as though I am a maimed victim or a desperate soul trying to make sense of something entirely out of my control. An encroaching feeling of vulnerability and self-consciousness has claimed the life I once led. I have sought comfort through advice, words of wisdom, and the company of those I endear. None of these have aided in renewing my fixed reality quite like music.

Music has served as an unparalleled vice to my emotional ailment. This is not unique to me, however. Music holds the capacity to grant perspective to circumstances that appear convoluted.

Within this series, I will uncover and dissect music that traverses all genres, lyricisms, and decades. Music is timeless and often warrants a more profound sense of meaning when searching for answers, signs, or maybe even a little hope. 

Earlier this week, I found myself reeling for music related to my situation. As an avid “shuffle” listener, I innately selected this listening option when choosing a playlist curated by a random Spotify user. The first song to play was Let it Be, by the Beatles. Almost immediately, I was able to apply the lyrics of this infamous piece to how I was feeling. 

“And when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be.”

The answer is within all the trivial cards you are dealt with: a potential solution, an opportunity to grow, a chance to rebuild and become a better version of yourself. This path you start yourself on is not meant to torture you; it is meant to test you. 

Heartache is a testament to how deeply we have loved, how dear we care, and how much something has impacted our lives. Do not give your situation the power to upscale your life or change the individual you have worked to become.

Let it be. Learning to live life with a broken heart is grueling. 

Let it be. You find the answers you are searching for when you aren’t, in fact, searching. 

Let it be. The situation that isn’t in your control…

                                                                                          Let 

                                                                                                 It

                                                                                                     Be

“And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me

Shinin’ until tomorrow, let it be”

Within the song’s second verse, the legendary Beatles illustrate the significance of finding light in every situation. In the darkest times, it is easiest to miss the light that still radiates over you. 

As I reflected on how music has personally helped me navigate uncertainty, I wondered how others, especially professionals in the music field, view this phenomenon. Seeking insight, I took it upon myself to reach out to LeAnn Faust. 

Originally from Miami, Florida, she is an accomplished pianist, singer, and conductor, receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Stetson University. Faust has dedicated her life to teaching aspiring musicians at Green Level High School. Alongside this, she has served as an associate conductor for Raleigh Youth Choir, as well as the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio. Given her extensive experience in both music and education, I was eager to hear her thoughts on the therapeutic power of music during times of emotional distress. 

After being prompted on the power of music in developing insight, Ms. Faust discerns, “I think it’s interesting because I feel like everyone can relate to if you hear a piece of music or a song or something, a lot of people have connections to certain songs and when you hear them, you’re transported back to a particular time in your life or a particular way that you were feeling. It can also be cathartic for stronger emotions.” 

I was curious to see if Faust also relies on music in times of emotional stress. In response, she emphasized, “I definitely listen to music when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I have music that is like my happy place. At times I need energy or need to feel happy. I also have times when I need a good cry and will put on certain music and songs that are cathartic. A lot of the time, I find music helps me reset.”

According to a study conducted by the University of Nebraska, “Music has a remarkable ability to soothe our minds and relieve the burden of stress. It offers a powerful outlet for expressing emotions and serves as a source of comfort during challenging times.” 

I wanted to know how this scientifically culminates. Through Harmony and Healing, I found that in a comprehensive 2013 review by Frontiers in Psychology, listening to music can lower cortisol levels, a biological marker of stress, by up to 61%. A further study promoted by PLoS One journal revealed that out of the sample population, over 89% claimed that music significantly helped them reduce their stress levels.

The ability of music to reduce stress levels piqued my interest in how Green Level’s specific arts departments utilize their class time and musical abilities to alleviate stress. Faust denotes, “I think something that’s really special about the music classes or the art classes is that your work affects what other people do. If you zone out in an art class, it hurts everyone because everyone is working together to perform together for the same goal. So we talked a lot about using the music classroom as this is the space and the place to leave it all at the door and let it go. And I know sometimes it doesn’t work. Sometimes students still need that breath, and that’s fine, but for the most part, they can do that.”

Faust continues in exercising, “A lot of them have expressed that it is their happy place. It’s the class they look forward to because they kind of get to take a breath. So, I definitely think it helps students, and I think kids who have never taken art classes don’t know what to expect when they walk through the doors. Almost every time, kids who didn’t sign up for the class are really, really glad they took the class. It makes them feel really good just as a human.”

Faust highlights how arts, specifically music, provide a space where students can experience relief from their most pressing stressors. They can escape from this strain that stems from elsewhere in their lives. Students are able to shed their outside worries and focus on the present while in class. Faust underlines how art education can be a form of emotional support, allowing students to not only grow creatively but, more importantly, manage their well-being. 

This connects back to the central idea that music holds the capacity to mend situations that appear as though they have no apparent solution. 

Finding peace amidst uncertainty is a difficult task to bear. Acceptance of both your feelings and the things you cannot control leads to personal growth. 

It may not happen how you thought, but it sure does happen how it should. 

Sources:

Victor, David. “How Music Can Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health.” Harmony & Healing, 21 Nov. 2023, www.harmonyandhealing.org/how-music-can-reduce-stress/