If this music gives you goosebumps ...

... you might have a special brain

By Classic FM, London

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

4K

Think of your favourite piece of music, and think about how you might react to it.

If you’re having trouble, have a listen to this spine-tingling vocal version of Elgar’s Nimrod, by Voces8:

Lux Aeterna – Elgar

Voces8 perform a stunning version of Nimrod

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Did you feel chills, a lump in your throat, or perhaps a tingling sensation on the back of your neck? Then you might have a more unique brain than you think.

A study, carried out by PHD student Matthew Sachs at the University of Southern California, has revealed that people who get chills from music might have structural differences in their brain.

The research studied 20 students, who listened to three to five pieces of music. 10 of the students admitted to feeling shivers, while the other 10 didn’t. The researchers then took brain scans of all the participants.

“[The 10 who felt shivers] have a higher volume of fibres that connect their auditory cortex to the areas associated with emotional processing, which means the two areas communicate better,” Matthew told Neuroscience News. These 10 participants also had a higher prefrontal cortex, which is involved in certain areas of understanding, like interpreting a song’s meaning (Quartz).

“People who get the chills have an enhanced ability to experience intense emotions,” Sachs said. “Right now, that’s just applied to music because the study focused on the auditory cortex. But it could be studied in different ways down the line,” he pointed out.

The study also found that people who are open to experience – as well as people who have more musical training – are more likely report strong emotional responses.

If you didn’t feel chills at the first piece, have a listen to this impromptu moment of Nordic vocal music, from Åkervinda. It might just tease out a few goosebumps...

Read more about the study here.

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Thinking of becoming involved with a musician? We advise caution. And flexibility.

Before you know it, this could be you...

What is it like being married to a classical pianist?

01:10

Here's a detailed breakdown of when you need to know.

1. They will never be on time

Rehearsal will always overrun. The pub will always be open on the way from a concert to your house. Their flight will always be delayed. Just add a couple of hours onto everything and you’ll be fine.

2. Practise comes first

‘Just coming!’ *continues to nail Paganini caprice*

3. If you’re having an important conversation about the future of your relationship, they’re just playing the third act of Tosca in their head

That misty, far-off look in their eyes: there’s a reason for it.

4. They will sing at you

Just in mid-conversation. You won’t know it’s coming, so just maintain a permanent state of high alert.

5. All the space in your wardrobe will be filled with concert black

What’s your favourite colour? Black? Good.

6. They will be more talented than you

Even if you are genuinely more talented than them in another arena, their talent will always outshine yours. Get used to it. Musicians are always perfect, even when they’re not.

7. You will be the least interesting half of your couple

‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a humanitarian lawyer and part-time curer of sick kittens who is also developing a new green energy source for the world. And she plays the oboe a bit.’
‘A MUSICIAN?’

8. They can sing a harmony with everything

Like, everything. Not just songs on the radio, but the microwave hum, the sound the shower makes when you turn it off… everything.

9. If you’re dating a singer, you will have to cut out dairy from your diet

Don’t kid yourself that you can just eat different things and it won’t be inconvenient. You’ll be sneaking Frijj milkshakes at work within the week.

10. When they’re listening to Bruno Walter’s 1956 recording of Mahler 4 in a darkened room, just leave them to it

Don’t even knock.

11. Beethoven will be an equal part in your relationship

Prepare to be polyamorous with The Master.

12. You don’t have a weekend any more

Make all the plans you want, but don’t expect your partner to join you. Cos y’know, rehearsals.

13. Your new part-time role is box office helper/stage hand/roadie/page-turner

Enjoy your antisocial working hours!

14. The record collection is out of bounds

Do not attempt to re-order it. Do not even look at it. You do not understand it.

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Should female musicians be allowed to dress how they want?

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Peut-on laisser les musiciennes s'habiller comme elles veulent ? - Aliette de Laleu

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0

Here’s exactly what French journalist Aliette de Laleu has to say about the matter.

Aliette de Laleu is a journalist on the radio station France Musique, who every week during her show leads a discussion about a female composer, musician or conductor.

This week, it’s all about Yuja Wang. Recently, an unnamed male conductor shared an image of the pianist on his public Facebook page, with the caption, as Aliette quotes: “She’s definitely got great legs. But the question is: is she wearing small knickers?” [translated]. The comments under the video were of a similar nature.

Aliette argues that while opera stars and performers wear brightly coloured clothing to bring drama to their performance, orchestral musicians and instrumentalists are restricted to dark colours and ‘non-distracting’ clothes.

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Credit: Yuja Wang (Facebook)

We are too used to seeing musicians dressed conservatively, Aliette argues. “If Yuja Wang wants to wear a short sequined dress to play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, she is free to do so. We are free to criticise her dress if we want, but Yuja herself should not be insulted or reduced to a body.”

To anyone who feels offended by exposed flesh on stage, Aliette advises to “close your eyes. [...] If you like the music, all you need is two things: your ears and a little bit of heart.”