By Seth Britton, a Bandology co-op student
By Seth Britton, a Bandology co-op student
What does music have to do with mental health, you might wonder? We all know that music can create an emotional response for the person listening to it – a happy song can bring your mood up or a sad song can be good for letting you cry. Music can also be a form of therapy for those who create it, and this is more important than ever, especially for our youth. According to CAMH statistics, 70% of mental health problems start during childhood or adolescence with 15 to 24-year-olds being more likely to experience it. In Ontario, 34% of high school students indicate a moderate level of psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression and 14% indicate a serious level. So how can music help? Two Toronto-based musicians and music lovers set out to find some answers.
In 2019, Robert Carli and Terry Stuart started on a journey to share the power of music and its ability to help the mind and body by decreasing depression or even delaying the onset of dementia. While doing their research, they realized that each person relates to music, whether it’s a specific album or artist or a memorable song, in their own way. Knowing that, they decided the best way to show this was to interview well-known Canadians so they could share their unique stories. Included in the book are stories from Canadians such as Michael Bublé, Sarah McLachlan, Chris Hadfield and Rick Mercer about their unique journeys and connections to music, and in some cases how music saved their lives. All of their interviews and storytelling came together in a beautiful keepsake book called The Awesome Music Project: Songs of Hope and Happiness. If you are someone who has been affected by music or who takes a lot of joy from performing it, these stories will be very relatable and easy to connect with and you will also learn more about how music interacts with our brains.
Source: The Awesome Music Project
One of the stories that I connected with was from Chris Hadfield. Although he is most well-known for his space adventures, he also became known as a musician when he filmed those famous clips of him and his guitar in space. In his interview for the book, he speaks about the power of performing music for remembering a lost friend. He specifically talks about a certain song that he used to perform with his best friend and even though it is hard to do, playing it has kept that friend close to him.
Source: Canadian Space Agency
I believe there are stories for every musician that can be found in this book. As we know from the mission that its creators were on, no two people experience music in the same way. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has felt connected to music and who wants to learn more about how others have felt the power of it in their own lives. These stories and the message about the importance of music tie in really well with the work that Bandology does to make sure more students and community members get to experience music in their lives.
Proceeds from this project go to several different mental health initiatives, which makes it an even more valuable investment for all of us. To learn more, check out this interview with Awesome Music Project founder Robert Carli.
Interview with Rob Carli of the Awesome Music Project
Robert Carli, founder of the Awesome Music Project, joins us for an Interview Series premiere! Robert Carli is the founder of the The Awesome Music Project, a Toronto-based charity. A composer, performer and educator, Rob has received numerous industry awards and nominations including five Gemini awards and three Canadian Screen Awards.