What is Music?

What is music? This is a difficult question to answer, indeed. One may as well ask, “What is the meaning of life?” In a world without music, life would have very little meaning. This is not to say that music is a necessity. It is a phenomenon, something perceived or experienced, especially as it is apprehended by the human senses.

Music is a phenomenon that exists in every culture throughout the world, and each culture is responsible for defining music in accordance to their values. Music is emotion. It is power. It is expression. It can mean many different things to many different people.

From a listener’s perspective, music can be defined through Alison’s theory of taste, which travels through a three-step process. First, when music is perceived, an emotion is produced in the mind. Second, this emotion ignites the imagination, which in turn, produces a complex association of ideas. As individuals, these associations are extremely personal, and as a result, music can mean anything to anybody. Under these circumstances, the definition of music certainly lies within the eye, or should I say ear, of the beholder.

If these perceived emotions are strong enough, one can have an aesthetic experience. Such experiences are powerful tools for music educators. I ask you, “Who out there has never had an aesthetic experience to music? Have you never experienced the joy, the bliss, the uncontrollable chills one feels when listening to that special piece of music?” As an educator, I believe students who have an aesthetic experience are much more likely to continue listening, enjoying, performing, studying, and defining music for the rest of their lives. From this perspective, I believe that music is power.

Musicians and composers, on the other hand, have the ability to form a unique bond with their music. They are able to express their most personal feelings and emotions directly to the listener. People who are able to indulge in such a creative form of expression are truly fortunate. Music is, and always will be, one of our most sophisticated forms of expression.

Whether you are a listener, an educator, a composer, a musician, or any combination thereof, music should be an enjoyable experience. It brings joy and happiness to what otherwise could be a sad and miserable world. In conclusion, if you were to ask me, “What is music?” I would respond by saying, “Music is one of life’s great experiences, and that is a good thing: a very good thing, indeed.”