In 1993, Dr. Gardon Shaw saw a rise of ten points in college students’ IQ when they listened to Mozart. The result of this study is now a theory known as the “Mozart Effect.” Beyond improving scholastic aptitude, classical music may also benefit a person’s overall health. For example, classical music can alleviate stress from school because it causes the heart rate to drop and helps to slow breathing. This helps the body relax and reduces stress.
A study done by the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of Helsinki shows that listening to just twenty minutes of classical music a day can adjust the genes which take responsibility for memorization and brain function. Students who listened to classical music while studying were more likely to have a better outcome in school than the ones who did not.
More significantly, classical music helps seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a horrible illness affecting the elderly where the brain slowly destroys its own memory and cognition. Eventually, victims lose the ability to do simple tasks, leading to a slow and sad death there is currently no cure for this disease. However, studies have shown that when patients with Alzheimer’s disease listen to classical music, their mood improves, and they get better sleep. Seniors with advanced stages of Alzheimer’s can sometimes show aggression, but putting on classical music often soothes them and helps them recall memories they have lost.
For example, my grandmother has rapidly progressive Alzheimer’s, and when I video call her, she can sometimes be depressed. Yet when I play cello or piano for her, she relaxes and becomes much happier. Once after listening to my music, she speaks of how she studied Spanish in college and easily utters a sentence or two in the language she has not spoken in years.
The classical music canon is as vast as it is diverse and most everyone can find something to enjoy. For traditional classical repertoire, some excellent recommendations would be works by the French-Polish composer, Frédéric Chopin, born in 1810 in Poland. Even during infancy, Chopin was always moved by his mother or sisters’ piano playing. At the age of six, he mastered the instrument and started composing short tunes of his own. Clearly a child prodigy, he wrote his first masterpiece at the age of seven, “Polonaise in G minor.” When he turned eight, he was invited to play at a charity concert, and three years later, he played in the presence of the Russian tsar, Alexander I. Eventually Chopin’s parents enrolled him in a music conservatory where he met many great composers and teachers who inspired him to write more music. After finishing his studies, he traveled the world, giving concerts and sharing his talent with the public. In his short life of thirty-nine years, Chopin composed sixty-one mazurkas, sixteen polonaises, twenty-six preludes, twenty-seven études, twenty-one nocturnes, twenty waltzes, three sonatas, four ballades, four scherzos, and four impromptus.
While studying for TPS, consider listening to Chopin. Of Chopin’s masterpieces, particularly enjoyable works are Ballade No. 1, Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2, and Etude Op. 25 No. 11.
Naturally there are a plethora of classical possibilities to play in the background while studying for school. Beyond Chopin, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Vivaldi are but a few composers to consider for a well-rounded study playlist while improving memory retention and reducing stress. At the same time, encourage parents and grandparents to listen to classical music. It just may help promote their good health, mood, and memory, too.
Works Cited
“The Effects of Classical Music on the Brain.” Symphony central coast. 30 October 2019,
www.symphonycentralcoast.com.au/classical-music-effects-on-brain/#:~:text=Brainpower%20and%20cognitive%20function&text=During%20a%201993%20control%20group,scepticism%20and%20doubt%20from%20experts.
Vaughn & Donna Young. “4 Ways Classical Music Helps Seniors With Alzheimer’s.” Angel Senior Care, 6 September 2022,
“Frederic Chopin.” Britannica. 18 August 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/Frederic-Chopin
Image Credit: Neuroscience News
Very interesting article, Mia! The connection between classical music and increased memory strength has always fascinated me. Thanks for the music recommendation, too!