Music to My Ears

Yesterday, I took my kids to their piano lesson at Melody Magic Studios. The teachers there are not just educators—they’re musicians in their own right. After lessons ended, I watched one of them unload his trunk. He made at least ten trips, hauling pieces of a drum kit and perhaps other instruments too.

I thought, he’s going to assemble all that, practice for an hour or two, then disassemble it and pack it all up again?

That’s a lot of work. I found myself wondering: why is music so important in human life? 

What is it about music that makes us work so hard for it?

It reminded me of my colleague, James Tumulty, from my time at William & Mary. He studied wild South American frogs and the way they “call” to communicate. Some calls were for mating, others for territory or dominance. These sounds carried life-or-death meanings—evolutionarily conserved messages that cut through the noise of the world. At this pre-language era the decoding of "calls" and the messages carry life-death importance. Maybe that is why the brain evolved to catch more nuances and do this knowing that the survival and reproduction advantages depend on it.

Cropped from James' website, without permission. We will deal with it :)

And it’s not just frogs.

One of my students, Lizzie Arthur, was a bird enthusiast. When we walked together, she could identify birds by their song alone. “That’s a Blue Jay,” she’d say with certainty. I was amazed. She introduced me to the Merlin App, which listens to birdsong and tells you which bird it belongs to, complete with facts and photos. My kids loved it—whenever we’re outside now, they ask for my phone to explore the music of birds. In this situation, maybe the diversification of songs helps birds find their tribe, contribute to their social fitness and let them belong to survive.

From Merlin app website.

This morning I listened to Surah Yasin from the Quran. For those unfamiliar, the Quran is a dense and layered book. But surprisingly, it’s also profoundly poetic. Its verses often end in rhyme, their rhythms powerful and mesmerizing. The Quran itself throws a challenge: “If you think this is man-made, try to write something like it—just one chapter, even one sentence.”

I’ve read stories of early Arabs hearing these verses and falling into prostration—not because they had been convinced by theology, but because they were overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the language. The sound alone was enough. This concept adds to the power of music as a "Godly" process and brings it above the human level. Maybe this is why people see no problem paying thousands of dollars to an "Opera or Musical" because this "above human" activity is worth it.

There’s something about music, rhyme, rhythm—sound—that bypasses the intellect and strikes the soul. It’s more than comprehension. For many, practice and fulfillment that gets us through the week. Music isn't just sound. It's connection. It's memory. It's joy. And sometimes, it’s just what we need.

What does “music to your ears” mean for you?

Do you always have your earbuds in? Do you hum to yourself while cooking or walking?Or do you prefer silence—nature’s subtle soundtrack? Let me know below :)