Music, Art, and Moms

Dear Educators,

So many areas of our lives have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that within just a few short months we have embraced a completely new reality. This week’s collection is a reminder of some of the things that humanity has always embraced. There are a few things that have been present in all human cultures, and creative expression is a big one! As humans, we create things of beauty both for our own enjoyment and the enjoyment of those who experience them. This week we have a celebration of all things beautiful.

Flowers for Mom

Flowers have inspired art and become art in many forms. This week many of us have been figuring out how to send flowers to our moms in this new world! Other than delivery companies or stores, do we really know where the flowers come from? This map shows the top locations where our flowers are grown!

One of my favorite things about traveling was seeing the overlaps in culture and customs throughout the world, especially in music. Seeing how the same song can transcend language and context to move people from different backgrounds reminds me of how similar we all are at our core.

This video shows how Cubans have embraced hip hop music and interpreted it for themselves.

In a time when we are all having to exercise extreme self-control and discipline, opportunities for spontaneity and liberation can be a blessed escape! One of the safest forms of that is through music. This GNN article is a biography of Miles Davis, and highlights the spontaneity inherent in the artform of jazz, as well as his personal journey.

Happy Mother’s Day! As part of the human family, we have varying relationships with our mothers, but almost without exception the way we interact with our mom teaches us big lessons about life—some directly, some indirectly! This video shows a grizzly teaching her baby how to fish. This could be a great introduction to a journaling exercise reflecting on a time when your mom taught you something.

As many of us have made up little songs to study for a test or remember something important, we are acutely aware of the power of music to help us learn. Humans have an intrinsic skill and affinity for music, and it affects our brains in powerful ways. This article talks about Music Therapy, and the scope of impact it can have on our bodies and minds.