WHAT MUSIC CAN DO TO YOU. - 12/11/00 03:29 PM
He happens to be with the Michigan conference.
MICE KNOW WHAT'S NICE
by Michael O'Neill
A subject that is of particular concern to me, and one that I believe is discriminating against the Christian walk of our youth is the subject of Christian rock. A recent article came across my desk that I thought would be profitable to share with [my] readers:
"A newspaper article on "mice" in Lynchburg's News and Advance, July 17, 1997, C3, caught my attention. It was a story about the results of an experiment by a 16-year old Suffolk, Virginia high school student, David Merrill that proved that hard rock music is bad for the brain.
"Young David bought 72 male lab mice, a stopwatch, a 5 x 3-foot maze, and obtained some CD's. The 16-year-old tested the mice and found that on average it took 10 minutes for them to find their way through the maze.
He divided the mice into three groups of 24 mice each; a control group, a hard-rocked group, and a classical group. The mice were conditioned by the identical feedings and 12 hours of light each day. Then, the group
chosen to listen to hard rock and classical music were exposed to their selected music for 10 hours a day.
"After three weeks of hard rock music, the hard-rocked mice took 30 minutes to go through the maze. David says that it shows that hard rock has a negative effect. The control group that had not been subjected to
music was sent through the maze without music three times a week for three weeks.
With this practice, they were able to cut 5 minutes from their original measured time. Mice that listened to Mozart knocked about 8 1/2 minutes off their time. The hard-rocked mice took 20 minutes longer. David said that the project had to be cut short because the hard-rock mice killed each other.
"Some time later I called young David to discuss his experiment. The youngster talked like a seasoned scientist when discussing his
findings.
He was enthusiastic that I had read the article and he expressed disappointment that no one else had called. It was his opinion that the behaviour of his mice explained a great deal of what is happening to our society today. I had to agree with him.
"Media-promoted-rock is scrambling the brains of our youngsters. I did to say this to him, but it is my considered opinion that media-sponsored hard rock music is no accident.
THE MOZART EFFECT
"A few months later the Executive Director of the Richmond Symphony, Michele T. Waiter, sent a letter to the paper extolling the benefits of classical music (News and Advance, F5, Dec. 7, 1997). According to Ms.
Waiter, recent studies show that listening to classical music and/or getting music training makes children smarter. Students with musical training out perform others on the Scholastic Assessment Test. According to the College Entrance Examination Board, test results have shown that students who studied music at least four years scored 59 points higher than others on the verbal and 44 points higher on math. The research done by Frances Rauscher and Gordon Shaw on "The Mozart Effect" shows that exposure to classical music even for short periods has a beneficial effect on intelligence. A 1993 study demonstrated that students who listened to 10 minutes of Mozart's piano Sonata K 448 scored higher on IQ tests than students who heard silence or listened to relaxation tapes.
"The American Demographics magazine states that about 2/3rds of the graduate students in America like classical music. 57% of those who have attained only a high school diploma say country music is their favourite.
The disputed issue with researchers is whether smart people produce classical music or classical music produces smart people. No one knows why, but it appears that classical music produces smart people. The American Demographics magazine predicts that rock will become America's dominant music form. They state that the reason is that MTV and other forms of mass marketing are exposing more young people to rock than ever before.
TRY MOZART
"An article in USA Weekend, Sept. 5-7, 1997, p. 25, states that a half-hour of classics equals 10 mg. of Valium. The article relates that continuing studies on critical care patients at Baltimore's St. Agnes Hospital show that Bach, Debussy, Haydn or Mozart can substitute for sedatives.
Experiments last year revealed that students with musical experience exceeded national average SAT scores by 51 points on verbal and 39 on math.
Studies by psychologist George Lozanov show that the easy pace of Vivaldi helps people to memorise poetry and spell words. Mozart inspires predictability and safety which fuels productivity."
I would like to add that if this is the result of classical music, it would be similar for the beautiful hymns that we are blessed to have. There are many arguments and excuses for Christian rock, but remember that the mice know what's nice.
-- Michael O'Neill -- *
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Thank you Elder Babienco, Mi. Conf. of SDA
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What is popular is not always right.
What is right is not always popular.
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Hi Gerry, and thank you for the above which I reformatted for you. 
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In His Love, Mercy & Grace
Daryl
[This message has been edited by Daryl Fawcett (edited December 11, 2000).]
