AMC Brings Music and Wellness to Global Attention at the United Nations Conference

After years of exciting scientific findings, the link between music making and wellness has taken further steps into the limelight in recent months.

In early December, 2001, a group of musical and medical experts gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York for a conference entitled "Music, Culture, Technology and Healthcare"—the first time this topic has been highlighted on the world stage. With a focus on how music making can bring people together and enhance wellness in developing nations where traditional medicine may be difficult to obtain, the gathering included Dr. Mathew Lee, Howard A. Rusk Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Music and Music Education at New York University; professor, author and music therapist Dr. Joseph Nagler; neurologist and author Dr. Barry Bittman; and Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Yeou-Cheng Ma of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, also an accomplished musician.

As conference coordinator Dr. Dianne Davis said, "Each culture has rhythm, which with today's knowledge can improve the quality of life and become a medical tool in developing countries." Davis is Founding President of the International Council for Caring Communities, one of the event's sponsors. AMC and the Rusk Institute also supported the event.

The AMC also promoted the music-wellness connection in prominent media, including Reader's Digest ("The Healing Power of Music," September 2001) and USA Weekend ("Healing Harmonies," October 28, 2001). A two-part documentary, "The Power of Music," debuted in December on the Discovery Health Channel with several depictions of how music can improve people's lives. Watch the AMC web site for updates on future airings.

The most important development in music and wellness may have been the sudden realization of how much people needed a boost to their well-being after the shocking events of September 11. Music was a prominent part of the nation's healing process, from formal events such as the Yankee Stadium memorial service to the renewed frequency of standard national hymns.

On at least two occasions, group drumming played a part: in New York's Central Park and at the Remo Percussion Center in North Hollywood, California, special drum circles led to an outpouring of emotion that could not have been achieved with words alone.

One participant, a 10-year-old boy named Shaun, is a regular participant in the Remo center's drum circles. In October, he penned these lines about how group drumming made him feel: