Published in the North Dakota Living Magazine (August 2019)

By Sylvie Winje

“When you’re 90, you probably won’t be playing soccer, doing gymnastics, or dancing hip hop, but you’ll still be able to play the piano.” This amazing quote has a very powerful message. I believe that playing music is important because it will make you smarter, will bring joy to yourself and others, and can last a lifetime.

Firstly, playing music will make you smarter. There have been studies done on groups of children who played musical instruments. The young people who played a musical instrument scored higher on their tests and performed better in school than those who didn’t play music. When practicing a musical instrument, you must hear the music, see the music, and feel it kinesthetically, all at the same time. Your brain makes important connections when you play. Basically, the more that you play, the more connections your brain makes.

Secondly, music will bring joy to yourself and others. My sister and I have a business, playing piano and singing at nursing homes. The residents love the music because it touches their soul. After we play, people often come to us with tears in their eyes and tell us that we made their day. Researchers have found that actively being engaged with music can make you happier and boost your spirits. The documentary “Alive Inside” shows about people who have Alzheimer’s, and how music made them feel happier and remember memories. Sometimes when I’m having a rotten day, I will play piano and feel so much better afterwards! Music can make you feel happier and will help you bless others.

Finally, music will last a lifetime. There are people at the nursing homes we visit who still play piano, and they are in their nineties! Undeniably, many people invest their time in sports/other things, which are not bad activities, but cannot be played forever. As we age, our bodies get old, run down, and tired and cannot do the strenuous sports as easily. Music is something we can do our whole life. My dad had a violin teacher who taught violin up into her nineties! Because she played music her entire life, she was sharp as a tack, even as an older woman. Music can last your whole lifetime.

So, consider learning a musical instrument like the flute, guitar, piano, violin, cello, or whatever else you want to play. Once you know how to play, think of ways to bless others with your music (nursing homes, relatives, neighbors). You may be wondering, “What should I do if I’m not musical?” Even if you are unmusical, you can still gain the benefits from learning an instrument. Your brain will make wonderful connections and you’ll become smarter from practicing.

In conclusion, if you want to become smarter, bring joy to yourself and others, then learn a musical instrument. It will be worth it when you are ninety, and still able to play an instrument.