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Happy Turkey Day to all! 😄

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Two new studies suggest that playing a musical instrument—even if you start in old age—could help protect your brain from the effects of aging and stave off cognitive decline.

In the first study, researchers compared older adults who had played music for decades with those who hadn’t. Brain scans showed that the musicians processed speech in noisy environments almost as efficiently as young adults, thanks to stronger neural connections. Non-musicians, by contrast, showed more signs of aging and had to work harder to complete the same task.

But the more exciting finding? A second study found that even seniors who only recently picked up an instrument—and stuck with it for four years—had healthier brains than those who stopped. Their memory was sharper, and crucial brain structures like the putamen hadn’t shrunk as expected with age.

These results point to the power of cognitive reserve—the brain’s ability to compensate for aging or damage. And music may be a particularly effective way to build it.

So whether you’re strumming a guitar, playing piano, or learning the violin for the first time—your brain might just thank you.

🎵 It’s never too late to tune your brain.

📄 RESEARCH PAPERS

📌 Xueyan Wang et al, "Never too late to start musical instrument training: Effects on working memory and subcortical preservation in healthy older adults across 4 years." Imaging Neuroscience (2025)

📌 Lei Zhang et al, "Long-term musical training can protect against age-related upregulation of neural activity in speech-in-noise perception", PLOS Biology (2025)

Cynthia Erivo as Jesus, in Jesus Christ Superstar ... 🤔🧐

Let me start by saying that I am a fan of Cynthia Erivo. I neither care that she is black, nor that she is indeed female. Jesus Christ Superstar is a challenging, controversial show — it was meant to be — from the moment it premiered on Broadway, through the release of the movie version, and subsequent productions.

Cynthia was wonderful in the movie Harriet (about Harriet Tubman). The tune that she composed for that movie — Stand Up — and subsequently sang, was brilliant, especially her live performance of it at the 2020 Oscars. I don't like everything she does, but she does have a magnificent voice, and she slayed with that tune.

That being said ... while I do NOT DISlike Cynthia as Jesus, neither do I like her.

Confession ... I'm a HUGE fan of Jesus Christ Superstar. I recall singing it with a girlfriend, countless times in her bedroom when I was in high school. Years later, I was cast in the rock opera in Vegas, and I loved every minute of it!

However, I believe that the 1973 movie with Ted Neeley as Jesus, and Carl Anderson as Judas, is THE quintessential version of the opera. Whereas Cynthia Erivo sings the part, Ted Neeley IS Jesus.

Adam Lambert does a good job as Judas, but again, I prefer Carl Anderson.

Perhaps it's because I grew up with the show, and I am biased. But I can't listen to ANY production, not even one that features someone as good as Cynthia Erivo — whom I admire — and refrain from comparing it to the 1973 film.

I've posted Ted Neeley's version of Gethsemane in the comments, so that you can make your own comparison.

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Cynthia Erivo STUNS in "Gethsemane" from Jesus Christ Superstar | Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Classic! Cynthia Erivo stuns in this powerful performance of “Gethsemane” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. Taking on the role o...

You can affect the way your brain functions by the music you choose! ❤️

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The Music That You Listen To Literally Causes Changes In Your Brain The music that plays through your headphones or speakers may be doing more than just entertaining you. Without even noticing, the songs you enjoy could be actively shaping the way your brain functions. Over time,

Music engages the mind in ways that help children cognitively. It helps with brain development, builds neural pathways in the corpus callosum, strengthens memory, helps with the development of critical thinking skills, improves concentration, helps improve problem-solving skills, improves creativity, can help develop spatial intelligence, and much more. Study music for the win, and encourage your kids to do the same!

"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music, and all the arts, are the keys to learning." ~ Plato

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