“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!”

– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

Music is a magic we can all access, whether it be through singing, playing, or simply listening.  J.K.Rowling must have written this based on experience. You see – music has a very special way of touching our heart and soul. It even has restorative healing properties for the mind, body, and soul. We can’t see music, but we can certainly feel music when it touches us and release feelings of either happiness, sadness, euphoria or any other emotion for that matter. 

According to research, human beings have a part of the brain dedicated to music processing. This should mean music must be of great importance to us by default. It is proven that by playing, singing and/or listening to music , our brains release neuro-chemicals, many of which play a role in “closeness and connection” with others.  It is even better if you are actively making music, as this may be “particularly potent in bringing about social closeness through the release of endorphins.” 

Furthermore, music can also be associated with dopamine release that regulates our mood and craving behavior, which “seems to predict music’s ability to bring us pleasure.” Evidently, it is not only about endorphins – it’s also about music’s ability to cope with pain as it is noticed that pain thresholds increase after musicians perform together, surprisingly. 

music may make us feel better and help us connect with others – especially when we create music together with each other. We don’t have to become the best musicians, rather, we should play an instrument for our own fulfillment so that we will be more complete as human beings and enable our capacities to recognize and appreciate beauty. In doing so, we may feel a sense of comfort, compassion, gentleness, and even love – in this otherwise vastly infinite and yet lonely universe.

As Dr. Jill Suttie puts it: “If we want to have a more harmonious society, we would do well to continue to include music in our—and our children’s—lives.”

To conclude, music has a power like nothing else.  Perhaps most of all, it shows that even Muggle-born musicians like myself can actually wield a powerful form of magic.

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_music_bonds_us_together