Music Teaches Us to Listen

Listening is the greatest lesson I never wanted to learn from school. I remember the teacher constantly pushing the class to listen - listen to her teach, listen to each other, listen to the video, listen to the woodwinds (“For all that is holy, woodwinds, why can’t you learn your part?"). Okay, so I was in Band, but we were all involved in some activity that required a lot of listening.“Don’t just hear….listen!” was the cry.I spent twelve hours alone in the car this weekend in three states listening to radio - music and local chatter. As I wrote previously, music is one of those embedded opportunities for people to listen to what others are feeling and saying. We say it from our cars, from our stores, from our homes, and everywhere we go. We have a wide diversity of experiences that are reflected in our music. Songs “take us back” or get us ready for a workout or bring joy and even praise to our lips. Artists touch our deep hurts and express our wildest dreams, bringing freedom and peace to our minds. Entire genres of music speak to our angst and passions and experience in a deep way.As it turns out, it is true. Listen to others and learn.[Devin Westbrook listens to his band and guides their work on his song in the Visible Music College Studios in Memphis in May 2020]. Photo courtesy Ken Steorts.]#kensteorts