Universal Language

Sound, consciousness and connection equals communication, but exactly what does 'communication' mean? Every day's musical adventure with Deepa, makes me even more determined to try to develop her exposure to different sounds and in particular to European and Indian classical music. I have placed adverts for old pianos, and for teachers willing to volunteer a little of their time. It would be incredible to present Sishu Bhavan with a huge piano, where the children could go and bang away, exploring sounds as well as actions and reactions. I am practising a lesson of intention and of not putting any negative energy into my ideas, but I also have the little voice in my head, cynically laughing at the thought of Deepa actually receiving music lessons and having some expert guidance. But I know that after experimenting with music, Deepa and we have begun to communicate on a ,much more productive and personal level reaffirming the ancient phrase that “music is a universal language that transcends boundaries and bonds people.” It has inspired me to begin doing a little more research into the power of music, including its different effects on the brain. It is fascinating, and again suggestive that Deepa is definately talking with us, even if it is not through her voice.

It is debated that there is a universal recognition of human emotional facial expression (namely happiness, sadness and fear) and emotional prosody (which refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of connected speech.) So are there also common responses to music? Can meanings be relayed without words, body language, facial expressions? In fact can music go even further than words, and express meanings deeper than those imbued by verbal language? If so then Deepa is already expressing herself and she is dedicating a tremendous amount of focus to listening to the music of others. When talking to her, Deepa will continue to flick or tap whatever she is already doing, but when listening to music, she has three main responses: Dancing, frowning and smiling.

The evolution of music in relation to thought and language is still under debate. In his book The Singing Neanderthals, Steven Mitin explores whether music is the universal language – if we beat a common evolutionary drum, which extends not just across cultures but also across ancestral time? Darwin suggested that language came first, and then music, but the alternative theory is that language is the more complex form of music, and ancient musical instruments have been dated back to 36,000 years. Unlike language, music followed a similar pattern around the world. It is made up of seven main notes. It is also used to mark certain ceremonies (weddings, funerals, parties) reflecting its social role. The function of music is also similar as cultures all around the world use music as a way to soothe children, to intimidate (such as the Maori Haka) to induce feeling of adrenaline or rage (such as the heavy metal played into the personal stereos of US troops before battle in Iraq) and to express deep and complex emotions.

The significance of music therapy (such as what I am attempting with Deepa) is also becoming more firmly grounded in science. Music lessons have been shown to improve children's performance in school. After eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers tested showed a 46% boost in their spatial IQ. If Deepa has a learning disability, then it goes to follow, that music may be just the stimulus she needs, especially seeing as it is what she responds so strongly to. The National Commission on Music Education has uncovered a correlation between the study of music on factors such as self-esteem, self discipline, the ability to work in groups and higher cognitive and analytical skill. Research by Rauscher also suggests that complex music may 'prime' the brain for mathematics or other analytical work because it triggers the same brain activity. Human neurology also examines the effects of music in relation to language on the brain. Music is perceived in the left hemisphere of the brain (in the angular and supramarginal gyrus area). This is also area of the perception of amorphous language area, which is concerned with comprehension and verbal thought. It therefore follows that perhaps music is therefore represented cerebrally as a form of language.

Often I wonder what Deepa thinks – if she thinks in colours and in shapes, or if everything just a dark empty black. Perhaps she thinks in textures, temperature, or perhaps even in sounds. What I know for sure is that simply because she is not using our most valued form of communication – language – need not mean that she is mentally disabled; at the moment she is just on a different track, and in the words of Einstein:

"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music .... I get most joy in life out of music."