Augment life with the inspiration and enrichment of music by looking at its benefits through the lens of science, medicine, sports, education, entertainment, business, service, and history. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, Mindy Peterson explores the many ways music affects and enhances our everyday lives.
Listener Improv
Each episode includes an Improv from our guest – a Try-This-At-Home, experiment, or hack – a practical, concrete way to enhance life with music. Each episode also features a Listener Improv. Send me your Listener Improv by sharing a practical way you use music to enhance YOUR life. I would love to hear from you!
- Leave a comment below;
- Comment on a social media post (Instagram, FaceBook or LinkedIn); or
- Email me at mindy@mpetersonmusic.com
Ep. 25: Role of Spirituals within African American Culture, with award-winning musician and educator Bruce Henry
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we take a look at the rich history and function of music and spirituals within African American culture, including its relationship to gospel music, ragtime, blues and jazz, soul, and hip hop/rap. Listeners will also hear about the incomparable Harry Belafonte, and the unique cultural preservation of the Gullah/Geechie region of...
Ep. 24: Autism Interventions with Music, with Esther Thane, MTA, AVPT
Guided therapeutic music creation and experiences can help both children and adults on the autism spectrum with social, physical, emotional, verbal, and cognitive skill sets. Music engages one’s curiosity and inner motivation, resulting in increased attention span, social bonds, and deeper integration of skills. Interventions address crossing the midline, cathartic release of emotion, auditory defensiveness, prosody of speech, and...
Ep. 23: Enhance Athletic Performance by up to 15% with the Legal Doping of MUSIC, with Power Music’s Dan Hubbert
You probably don’t need scientific studies to convince you that music makes exercise more enjoyable. But what is its true effect on exercise intensity and endurance? According to Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading authorities on music and exercise, “Music is like is a legal drug for athletes. It can reduce the perception of effort significantly and...
Ep. 22: Putting Joy on the Menu for Hospitalized Kids, with Children’s Cancer Association’s MyMusicRx
For nearly 25 years, MyMusicRx has delivered joy-based music programming to kids of all ages and diagnoses at pediatric hospitals. MyMusicRx’s bedside and online programs relieve stress, anxiety, and perception of pain for hospitalized kids. Engaging musical experiences include live, in-hospital concerts; one-on-one bedside music lessons and performances; online music lessons, games, and exclusive artist content. The flagship program...
Ep. 21: An American Pianist Successfully Invades Russia (and "The Life of Pi"), with Robert Thies
Robert Thies first captured worldwide attention in 1995 when he became the only American pianist to win first prize in a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn won in Moscow in 1958. Robert’s playing is featured in The Life of Pi, Concussion, Fracture, Fifty Shades Freed, and many others. Hear from the man behind the music in this Artist...
Ep. 20: Music Heals the Soul, with founder & Dove Award winning songwriter Steve Siler
If you are experiencing loss and pain, or know someone who is (I imagine all of us fall into one or both of those categories), I hope you’ll find this week’s episode encouraging in giving hope and redemption through the healing power of music – even in life’s tragedies and challenges.
Ep. 19: What IS it about Christmas Music?! Love it or not, why the response? with psychologist Dr. Krystine Batcho
There is nothing like holiday music to immediately put me in the holiday spirit! Why does music have this effect, and why does it annoy others? Learn more about both the bitter and sweet of nostalgia, with psychologist Dr. Krystine Batcho.
Ep. 18: Is Background Music Influencing My Purchasing (or my Thanksgiving Guests)?! with Songtradr’s Jody McKinley
Background music can influence us to eat faster, eat slower, purchase more items, or purchase higher end items. Learn about some of the characteristics of music that are considered in selecting music for marketing purposes – and utilize your knowledge at your next dinner party!
Music hack-the work I’m doing in the office will drive the type of music I listen to. I’m usually sitting at my desk all day so my music is always on. If I’m working on reports, it might be class rock/pop. If it’s something that needs a lot of concentrating, it could be Enya. If it’s something monotonous, maybe Metallica, to keep me awake!
Thanks so much for sharing!
We love music in our home- whether it’s listening to “cleaning music” while we clean up the house, or belting out songs we know together as a family around the piano and mandolin❤️ We are also schooling at home utilizing a curriculum that puts everything to music for easy memorization! We were thrilled the other night when we discovered this pony tail holder on our floor positioned like this: IMG_0742.JPG
Love this, Sarah — thanks so much for posting!! Definitely brought a smile to my face!
Hi my name is Vanessa, I am 11 year old.
I use just dance on the Wii to have fun dancing with music and being competitive with my sissy Delany.
Thank you, Vanessa! I’m so glad you listen to the podcast! I’ll include your Listener Improv on the next show. :^)
A way that we use music in our everyday life as a family is to sing a “brush your teeth” song while brushing my sons teeth. He never fights us during it, and he knows just how long to brush his teeth.
I wish I would have thought of that when MY kids were young! Thank you!
Mindy — Wow! I’ve been a guest on a lot of podcasts, but you are in the top 1% in terms of people who know their stuff and know how to interview guests in an engaging, knowledgeable way. Great experience. Thank you!!
Thanks so much, Dr. Mossbridge – It was a pleasure to meet you on the phone!!
Improv: Every time I am getting ready for the day I crank Beyonce. She makes you feel so empowered as a person/women and gets me dancing. Helps to start my day out right.
Love that — it’s like an audio version of the Power Pose – thank you, Lynn!