10,000 Hours

"The power of art is that it can connect us to one another, and to larger truths about what it means to be alive and what it means to be human" -Daniel Levitin.

Music is powerful. Mastering a subject so powerful, takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

I am asked by students and parents, 'how much should I practice?'. The answer to that question will vary. How much you practice will depend on how important 'mastery' is to you. It will include trade-offs in your day to day life. Balance is important. Efficiency in your practice is also important. Scientifically speaking, it takes the human brain 10,000 hours of practice to master a subject, any subject.

"10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert -- in anything... Ten thousand hours is equivalent to roughly three hours a day, or twenty hours a week, of practice over ten years....It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery."   -Daniel J. Levitin from Your Brain on Music

So, if you want to master music by a certain age, that will determine your practice time. If you start when you are 10 years old and practice the violin for 20 hours a week for 10 years, according to this theory, you will be a master of the violin at age 20.

Mastery seems like a lofty goal. Albert Einstein, who also played the violin had this to say about the subject: "Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person." - Albert Einstein

Mastery of music will not be everyone's goal, and I do not think that it should be. But an understanding and an education in anything is powerful. As Francis Bacon said, "Knowledge is power".

The more I live on this earth, the more intrigued I am about everything I learn. From music, to science, to the galaxy, to marketing strategies, and business plans...we live in a world where there is always more to learn about. Be curious, stay in tune with your world, put in your best efforts to understand why you are here. Be blown away by how magnificent this world is, because it truly is magnificent isn't it?

Below are some of the ways music specifically affects us. I recommend looking into reading this book "This is Your Brain on Music" By Daniel J. Levitin. Although I do not agree with everything Daniel has to say, he brings up really thought-provoking elements of music and it's affect on our brain.

-When you listen to a piece of music and you get chills, this is due to a release of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain.
-Our heartbeats are affected by the tempo and sounds we hear.
-Music has been found to reduce chronic pain.

Stay Curious,
Larissa

P.S. Group Class THIS WEEK! :D