BAY AREA VOCAL IMPROVISATION & COMMUNITY MUSIC
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What Shall We Do Without Us?

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May 2017

​I read on the internet to gather some of this info. I love my iphone, I enjoy facebook, and I work on my computer a lot of the time. Now some of my music is scanned into my computer and youtube is a good ol’ friend. Yah, all this technology is super helpful with
my process as a musician fo sho!
 
But I don’t have to tell you that we are crazy knee deep into technology in a way that sometimes keeps us from connections with others. The level of entertainment, curiosity fulfillment, and time wasting available online is beyond measurable. The gift of this for me is that I massively value sitting in front of a friend eating a meal or sharing a cup of tea. I am happy when I am in a dance class and I get to laugh and connect with others. When I am in nature being with the silence and natural sounds, I feel my cup is full. And I am elated when I get to be in a circle singing with others!
 
No mater what has happened that day, that week, I get a massive recharge. My endorphins start to dance and the happy thang comes over me. Because I am getting to look in your eyes, feel the spirit of your song, or dance and laugh with you.
 
So, checking out your connections on facebook is fun, but have you thought about the neural connections you are reinforcing in your brain when you are making music?
 
“It’s really hard to come up with an experience similar to that” as an education intervention, said Gottfried Schlaug, the director of the Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory at Harvard Medical School. Not only does it require attention and coordination of multiple senses, but it often triggers emotions, involves cooperation with other people, and provides immediate feedback to the student on progress, he said. Music, on its own, has also been shown to trigger the reward area of the brain, he noted. [1]
 
So, my dears…it appears that coming together to do activities with other humans is becoming one of the basic needs for nervous system regulation and perhaps the survival of our relationships.
 
Stay with us, we are here…
 
Art by Kenneth Patchen

[1] Published in Print: Education Week
November 25, 2013
Studies Highlight Brain Benefits From Music Training
Vol. 33, Issue 13, Page 6

 

~ will sing for serotonin! ~

6/12/2018

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Happy Summer!
 
I am honored to have just had the opportunity to facilitate a Vocal Improv session at The Brain Fitness Forum at the JCCSF.
 
It happens that just prior to this event I became aware of Dr. Robert Lustig’s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lustig) new book, “The Hacking of the American Mind”, which I strongly recommend reading! I have been following Dr. Lustig’s work around sugar intake and metabolic disorders for a decade or so now, and am always roused by his truth telling mission to heal our culture from addiction.
 
In his latest book, he makes the distinction between foods and activities that elicit the dopamine .vs. the serotonin response in human beings. The dopamine response will bring pleasure, whereas the serotonin response will bring happiness. A hit of dopamine is likely to elicit an addictive response. We can get this hit by eating sugar or unhealthy foods, ingesting caffeine, attempting to create connection on social media, engaging in high risk activities, doing drugs, etc…
 
A hit of serotonin is likely to elicit a feeling of contentment, such as when we exercise, engage in authentic connection, sing, dance, create, engage in life affirming activities, feel love, touch others, eat well, connect with nature, etc…
 
These are only a few examples of each, but the idea is that searching for a dopamine hit feels good right now, but it overexcites the cells, ultimately causing cell death. When we engage in serotonin increasing activities, we actually feel a longer sense of contentment and happiness, without building a tolerance for higher amounts.
 
Although music infuses my heart, body, mind, and spirit, and I often feel high when I make music, especially with others, there is a steady progression of joy in my heart in anticipation, during, and after the experience. This has me thinking that making music is a serotonin producing activity, and its no wonder because I am often thrilled to let go of the technical toys in my life, or even conversation, and dwell in the land of music with my instruments, my voice, and with you.
 
I can’t wait until the next time we can be together!
 
René
 

 
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  • UPCOMING EVENTS
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  • About Renée
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