Have you ever walked out of a rehearsal feeling better than when you walked in? Most musicians have experienced this feeling, but that isn’t a coincidence. Making music together doesn’t just improve musical ability; it can also have great effects on our physical health, emotional well-being, and sense of belonging.
When people think about the benefits of music, they often focus on listening. Listening to your favorite song can lift your mood, reduce stress, or bring back memories. But participating in music—especially alongside other people—may have even broader effects.
This study looked at over 340 adult brass band musicians from across England. Rather than asking participants to rate statements on a numbered scale, researchers simply asked one question: How does brass banding affect your life? Nearly 90% of the well-being experiences participants described were positive, spanning physical, psychological, emotional, social, and even spiritual health. Although this study focused specifically on brass bands, many of its findings likely extend to choirs, orchestras, chamber ensembles, and other groups where people create music together. Many musicians described rehearsals as a place where everyday worries seemed to disappear. Instead of thinking about school, work, or responsibilities, their attention became fully absorbed in the music in front of them. The scientists describe this as the state of flow, which is a feeling of complete immersion in an activity where time seems to pass differently, and distractions fade into the background. When you are in flow, you are focused on the present moment rather than everything else happening around you. The scientists had discovered that rehearsals naturally encourage this state. Following rhythms, listening to others, adjusting dynamics, and performing together require constant attention, leaving little room for anxious thoughts to take over. Several participants even described rehearsals as a form of therapy, saying they regularly arrived feeling overwhelmed but left feeling refreshed and re-energized.
Not only was stress and anxiety lowered through rehearsals, but also many social connections were fostered. People spoke about friendships extending far beyond rehearsals. Some spoke of the friendships that were built over years of making music together. Others highlighted something unique to ensembles: people of different ages, careers, and backgrounds working toward the same goal. In a world where social isolation has become increasingly common, these kinds of communities matter. Creating music requires cooperation in a way few other activities do. Every musician has to listen carefully, adjust to others, and contribute something meaningful to the group.
The benefits of this community weren’t limited to mental health. Although the mental and social benefits can be reaped from any form of group music making, the brass band that this study focused on also had brass players reporting improvements in breathing control, lung capacity, posture, and stamina. Some participants with asthma even felt that regular playing helped them gain greater control over their breathing.
In this neuroscience study, scientists are researching why making music together feels so rewarding. Researchers measured hormones in a quartet of jazz singers before and after group performances. They measured in two sets, one set of improvised music and one set of learned music. They found that improvising together tended to increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone often associated with trust, bonding, and social connection. At the same time, levels of ACTH, a hormone involved in the body’s stress response, generally decreased after singing. In both aspects, improvised and learned, oxytocin increased, and ACTH decreased. These findings suggest that making music together may influence some of the same biological systems involved in forming relationships and managing stress. If you’re a musician, you may have wondered why rehearsals often feel different from practicing alone. It’s because you’re not just performing at the same time as other people; you’re creating something collectively, which fosters a great social connection that not many things can replace.
Music has always been about more than sound–it’s about people. And maybe that’s one of the reasons it has such a remarkable ability to improve our wellbeing. Go make music!
