“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast”
This proverb comes from a play which centres on a queen held captive where a web of love and deception results in the mistaken murder. The play, The Mourning Bride, premiered in 1697, written by William Congreve who was an English playwright and poet of the Restoration period. He was known for his clever, satirical dialogue and influence on the “comedy of manners” literary style of that period.
This 320-year old quotation is still heard regularly and it is surprising how pertinent it is to the pressurised and stressful nature of contemporary working life. In the intervening centuries, much scientific research has been conducted into the therapeutic effects of music, particularly from the perspective of mental health and wellbeing.
Research suggests that music can stimulate the body’s natural feel-good chemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins) and can help energise our mood and even help us to work through problems and provide an outlet for us to take control of our feelings.
Music can:
- Promote Wellness
- Manage Stress
- Express Feelings
- Enhance Memory
- Improve Communication
- Promote Physical Rehabilitation
- Alleviate Pain – did you know that focusing on music reduces your brain’s perception of pain?
So what relevance does the use of music on health and wellbeing have in the workplace and towards the use of performance improvement? Music is an example of the more subtle ways in which communication and interaction can be enhanced for the mutual benefit of companies and their employees. Top sports stars are known for having benefited from music in their training and preparation [1].
The same benefits can be derived from using carefully-selected music to boost performance improvement in the workplace. Across teams and at special corporate events and experiences, music can have an uplifting and unifying effect, as the shared emotion, the rhythm and cadences all blend into a collective experience of enjoyment. If you have attended a classical concert in a great hall or a rock festival under the stars, you will appreciate the sheer power of music to generate feelings of elation. Those memories stay with us for ever.
Imagine the extra dimension of music added to a corporate event & experience, annual conference or even within a product launch and you soon see the potential to reach your guests in a way which words or pictures alone cannot. Music is usually a key ingredient.
Receptions, dinners, exhibitions and other hosted occasions are all showcases for your company. Your corporate image will be complemented by appropriate music, either in the background or to introduce and support a business presentation. This works equally well at both formal awards events and informal parties. A popular feature of incentive travel programmes is a themed meal with entertainment. Local music played by local musicians provides a strong cultural connection with the location and the overall incentive programme theme.
Music is an important element of any event, whether it’s in the form of a playlist, DJ or live performance. We’re not just talking about parties and product launches; conferences benefit hugely from music. It’s probably not the type of event you associate with music, but entertainment during seminar breaks and background music played in exhibition areas are both popular choices that can have powerful effects.
When planning live events, music will be used to provide a familiar shared interest that brings hosts and guests closer together. It creates a relaxed atmosphere and encourages participation. Every business event can be made more entertaining with musical accompaniment!
Just caste your eyes over the Top 10 songs played at conferences last season [2], and we guarantee you’ll find something which truly resonates with you and your emotions.
Recent Posts
Archives
- January 2025
- October 2024
- July 2024
- May 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- September 2023
- April 2023
- January 2023
- November 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- June 2022
- April 2022
- January 2022
- September 2021
- August 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- July 2017
- February 2017
- November 2016
- March 2016