Neuroscience Of Jazz

In society, there’s a high expectation to be well-rounded. We constantly need to improve our intellectual virtues and appreciate culture. The liberal arts curriculum of the University of St. Thomas ensures that the students will have a robust integration of culture and intellect by the time they graduate. In Honors Neuroscience of Jazz, the neuroscience and music departments will be blended. This seminar associates both jazz music and the brain. Studies have shown that playing jazz stimulates certain parts of the brain. Students will learn from a neuroscience professor and a music professor. By the end, students will acquire not only jazz’s contribution to science but also a better appreciation of the music. Music has been linked to neurological

For instance, researchers linked classical music to increased IQs. On the other hand, jazz music also has a significant contribution to brain study. One of the main topics students will explore is how humans think in certain situations. Students will be expected to ponder, “What makes jazz musicians think a certain way when they express their music?” Musicians have a certain presence of mind in order to express jazz’s finest style. This seminar will encourage critical thinking required by a liberal arts education by combining creative and analytical thought. The themes of the proposed course, Honors Neuroscience of Jazz, directly fits with the motto of the University of Saint Thomas, “All for the Common Good.” The themes align with the motto because of its promotion of creativity to the students. Creativity is demonstrated by the musician’s passionate performance. Creativity is a necessary skill for students to hone for leadership roles in the workplace.

The music

The primary goal of the seminar is to explore how the brains of jazz musicians function when music is being played, which will combine the use of both the music and neuroscience departments. A liberal arts education encourages every student to expand their horizons on how thinking critically and creatively. Making students ponder how jazz music affects the brain is one supportive example of the expectation of higher learning. With the attention towards jazz music, it should be no surprise that another goal is to promote creativity among the students. Creativity is an essential skill in the workplace for people to hone. Students do not need to become jazz professionals by the time the term is over, but they need to learn the creative impact of the genre. Being creative is necessary for many jobs. If one were to be a business executive, that person needs creativity for superb business ideas. If one were to be a teacher, that person needs creativity to make students learn in an effective way (i.e. flipped classrooms or use of interactive SMART boards). If one were to be a lawyer, that person needs creativity to spontaneously elicit effective objections towards the opponent. The list goes on for any career. The seminar encourages students to orient well-roundness. By the end of this course, students should have an appreciation for jazz culture and cultivate the virtues of a