Artist's Statement

Central Question

Facing the increasing trend of stress and anxiety amongst people from all walks of life, how can music serve as a universal tool for people to unwind and enter a meditative state of mind (Hutchinson par.1), where they can find peace with their inner worlds and alleviate the tension in their mind and body?

Literature

Music for stress relief emerged in as early as the 11th Century, at the end of Shang dynasty in ancient Tibet. From striking different sized standing bowls, different pitches were created and played in harmony. People cherished the music for spiritual fulfillment and the relaxing of the mind and body (Hutchinson par.2). Standing Bells was gradually introduced to the west in the 20th Century, evident in pieces such as Double Music by American composers, John Cage and Lou Harrison and Les Uns by French contemporary composer, Philippe Leroux (Hutchinson par.5).

Aside from standing bells and the like, other instruments and styles have also achieved the effect of stress-relief. One such example is the Impressionism Era in classical music, where composers focused less on melodies and more on establishing atmospheres. From Reflets dans l'eau by Claude Debussy to Gaspard De La Nuit by Maurice Ravel, these works often felt surreal and Zen-like (Ravel). Another example is psychedelic music popularized by bands such as Pink Floyd in the 70’s. Their works, most memorably from The Wall and The Dark Side of the Moon, experimented with unique sonic combinations, and together with poetic and philosophical lyrics, their songs undoubtedly helped countless feel an inner peace during tough times.

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Methods

Since my project blends aspects from 2 disciplines, namely, music composition and the psychology of stress, I spent a significant amount of time researching into the crux behind de-stressing through listening to music. I found countless studies demonstrating music can decrease stress hormones and ease muscular tension (University of Nevada, Reno par.4), but more importantly, I tried certain types of stress-relieving music, and they worked for me personally. Of course, what specific types of music are considered stress-relieving vary wildly from person to person, and it is not my intention nor goal to impose upon the listener the specific types of music they should find relaxing. Instead, I condensed what worked for me personally, and I composed 2 pieces that drew inspirations from 2 different musical styles. What I hope to do for this project is to present to my audience a meditative state of mind, something that they can try and experiment with themselves to see how it works on them.

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Audience & Impact

My project will be for those who are open to trying meditation and those who like to try music as a form of healing. Also, for those who have busy schedules or difficult tasks in their lives, my project will aim to provide a musical escape for them, during which they can unwind and ease off the tension in their mind and body (University of Nevada, Reno). The audience will work with their meditative state of mind, which my music helps to bring out. The goal of my music is to aid the listeners to create a distance between their mind and their body, so that whatever physical pain they feel may not bring down their mind, and whatever dark thoughts they have may not corrupt their body. At the end, I hope that my audience will have gotten rid of the stress and tension, and instead feel more at peace, as well as more confident to face new challenges in their lives.

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References

“Releasing Stress Through the Power of Music: Counseling Services.” Releasing Stress through the Power of Music, University of Nevada, Reno, 2018, www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music.

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Ravel, Maurice, 1875-1937. “Gaspard De La Nuit”; Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte; Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales. New York, N.Y. :London, 1985.Ravel, Maurice, 1875-1937. “Gaspard De La Nuit”; Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte; Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales. New York, N.Y. :London, 1985.

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Hutchinson, Kate. “Breathe in, Now Breathe out: How Musicians Are Embracing Meditation.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Mar. 2020, www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/20/musicians-embracing-guided-meditations.

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Wagner, Ullrich, et al. “Sleep Inspires Insight.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 22 Jan. 2004, www.nature.com/articles/nature02223.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge all those who helped review my initial ideas, working progress, presentations.