Music and medicine seem to have a long history. In 1914, researchers placed a phonograph in an operating room “as a means of calming and distracting patients” during surgery. Gratefully now we have anesthesia; however, music is used today to calm our anxiety before many medical procedures: like in the study where music is pitted head to head against Valium-type drugs that help people calm down. Of course the result is lower anxiety scores, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure and it seems to be the first report of an anti-anxiety therapy working better than benzodiacepine drugs. Let’s not forget about the side effects –none, compared with drowsiness, lightheadedness, confusion, unsteadiness, slurred speech, muscle weakness, memory problems, nausea and more from the drugs side. So yes! Playing music can be calming before we undergo our next hospital stay or dr. visit. But what about performing music, like playing or singing? I already discussed how music can help our memory, but what about actually learning a language? Music is so phenomenal; a new study shows how singing in a choir can significantly improve “performance and confidence in L2 [second language] hearing, pronunciation, spoken language, and communication – aspects of language skills that can be more challenging to teach and learn in traditional classroom settings.” This finding is important personally, as I was just asked to be our congregation’s choir director. The power of music for our medical and educational benefits just continues. If you’re looking for a way to increase your language and communication skills or you just enjoy a calm afternoon come and sing in my choir!