In honour of World Music Therapy Day on March 1, Percussion Play is highlighting the healing power of music and championing music therapists around the world.
It has long been scientifically proven that listening to and creating music lifts people’s moods and creates a powerful sense of well-being. Outdoor activity has also been shown to enhance our mood, proven most recently during the pandemic when many embraced outdoor activities.
By combining both music and the ‘great outdoors’, Percussion Play believe its instruments can help create fun and laughter, helping support good mental and physical health. Percussion Play has recognized research into music therapy outlining the benefits of music for people’s mental health.
This research includes:
· Rolvsjord in 2001 and Solli in 2008, who proved music therapy to have “unique motivating, relationship building and emotionally expressive qualities”
· Geretsegge Mössler et al in 2017 showed there is evidence that musical interaction increases the quality of life of people living with mental illness.
· Playing music can help to re-establish and re-balance our circadian, physiological and psychological internal rhythms. When we play musical instruments, our brains are subconsciously responding to the patterns in the sounds trying to predict the music. This encourages our internal rhythms to begin to re-establish themselves and harmonize with the rhythm of the music.
Percussion Play has created a range of beautiful outdoor musical instruments which are played across the world in schools, libraries, parks, hospitals and senior living communities. From the popular Calypso Chimes to the Harmony Flowers, Percussion Play’s instruments are designed to bring people together to create uplifting music.
Jody Ashfield, Co-founder, and CEO of Percussion Play said: “We are proud music therapists across the world use our outdoor musical instruments to help heal. We are celebrating World Music therapy Day, encouraging people to recognize the benefits of creating music in the great outdoors. We hope to see more communities embrace the power of music in parks, libraries, schools and hospitals around the world.”
