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Life is infused with music – celebrations, ceremonies, movies, advertisements, and even toothbrushes (for a short-lived time) all have used music as a means to appeal to, and connect with, us. But why would that be an effective tactic? Because music activates almost every part of our brain!^[1] So, it is no surprise that it has found a place in the realm of emotional experiences, as well as being considered an aid to learning, and a vessel that promotes one’s well-being and quality of life overall^[2]. This article will look more specifically at how music can enhance the emotional well-being of students in secondary school.

I suppose then, it is important to first clarify what is meant by ‘emotional well-being’. The Department of the Taoiseach have shared that, in promoting well-being in Irish schools, they hope to “enable people to have purposeful lives that support good physical and mental health”^[3]. Emotional well-being, therefore, directs its attention more to the internal and mental health components in the life of a student.

Easy as ABC…

The lessons that were presented to me through music are ones that stick with me until this day, whether learning Spanish verbs or the elements on the Periodic Table, they remain at-hand in my brain. We know this to be effective even from our earliest years; most people when you ask them what letter comes after another in the alphabet will instantly begin internally or externally singing ‘A,B,C,D…’ So, we can see that it is helpful for our learning abilities, but how does that relate to our emotional well-being? Music’s involvement in this could be seen in light of it being something that goes much deeper than providing a practical or academic lesson, and elevates these things to become an experience.

Listening to music whilst learning something can form a strong association. For example, anytime I hear ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ by Blue Oyster Cult I am mentally brought back to my first year of University, sitting in my English tutorial and listening to my Tutor explain what Iambic Pentameter is. He would choose a student at the start of each tutorial to pick a song that would begin a playlist to carry on in the background as he spoke with us. Ironically, ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ is now a song that recalls a sense of fear in me, remembering my difficulty to fully understand the mystery of poetic syllables and praying I wouldn’t be called upon to answer anything. 

You’ve Got Me Feeling Emotions

Aside from being an academic aid, schools often use music to showcase the talents of their students and add depth to school activities. It’s easy to recall the excitement surrounding a showcase or musical, with the buzz of anticipation palpable on the lead up to opening night. Music is celebratory and helps mark important times in the academic calendar, assisting in setting an appropriate tone among the students.

One year during my senior cycle in secondary school, we had a November service to remember our loved ones who had passed away. We were sitting in our canteen, usually filled with rush and noise, but when the first student began the ceremony with a heartfelt song, you could have heard a pin drop. Reverence and unity filled the space, creating an atmosphere where tears and emotion were honoured with genuine care by students and teachers alike. Music transformed the ordinary into something sacred, turning a routine setting into a profound experience. There is a distinct difference between this and the atmosphere created by a school musical, but both of these occasions use music to celebrate life and instil a sense of something more important than solely focusing on the academics of school. They allow students to encounter their emotions in a safe and supportive environment.

Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Having these occasions where music can support emotional well-being are integral to experiencing ‘purposeful lives’^[4]. As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:4, there is a time for everything, “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…”. Ergo, it is inevitable that students will go through these seasons of life too, but the school can help equip and care for them through having these spaces that foster healthy emotional expression. In RE classrooms, this is of particular importance, as music is an integral part of many belief systems and has been embedded in Christianity since its beginning. The Psalms of the Old Testament are a stark example of this. Written with the intent to have these shared through music^[5], the authors express their raw unfiltered feelings to God of grief, anger, despair, loneliness, gratitude, love, delight and hope. They orient it all toward God, allowing the music to transcend performance and become a prayer to the God who listens.

Livin’ on a Prayer

Using music as this means of prayer is a tool that teachers in schools with a religious ethos whilst simultaneously enriching their emotional well-being. Studies have shown that prayer is something that benefits both emotional and physical health^[6], which is exactly what the well-being programmes in schools aim to do. Religious Education (RE) teachers are in a prime position to really be able to dedicate more time to unpacking the connection between music, faith and well-being for their pupils. What that looks like in a classroom setting can differ; perhaps it could simply be having a prayerful song playing in the room as the students first file in for their lesson (and – believe it or not – there are so many of these songs nowadays that sound like normal music, so no organ necessary!). Using music as a medium to allow students to experience a positive influence – something encouraging and uplifting, in contrast to the songs dominating social media that often promote lifestyles and attitudes that can disrupt personal peace.

Beyond this, even with a set RE curriculum for the Junior and Leaving Certificates, music can enhance many areas of the syllabus. For instance, in SAOL^[7] (An Tobar Nua’s video-based RE resource), each video has a companion Teacher’s Resource Document with suggested activities, questions and further resources for every topic, linking directly with the syllabus and also offering songs to deepen study. Suggested activities provide other opportunities to incorporate music. For example, in the episode on ‘Freedom’, a task encourages students to select art or music that evokes feelings of freedom and describe the elements that trigger that feeling. This approach allows students to explore topics more engagingly and can benefit them personally too. A notable figure on the RE course, Plato, believed in music’s power to improve well-being, as summarised about his writings in ‘The Republic’: “music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.”^[8]

Music is a powerful force that bridges education, well-being, and faith. It connects us and evokes deep feelings, whether it’s the pensive ‘Moonlight Sonata’ or the nostalgia of ‘The Macarena.’ Songs move us in ways words often cannot. In RE classroom and wellbeing retreats, where students prepare for adulthood and explore their purpose through faith, it’s crucial they learn to understand and manage their emotions healthily too. And whereas music cannot be something that independently forms these things within them, it can be a catalyst to more easily engage with and articulate their emotions.

Song Recommendations for the RE Classroom:

• “Right Now” Daniel Irambona
• “You Will Find A Way” We Dream of Eden
• “The Olive Grove” Steffany Gretzinger
• “Oil” Eric Gilmour
• “Umbrella Time” Nordic Rain
• “Oceans” Hillsong
• “I Shall Not Want” Audrey Assad

^[1] MD Andrew E. Budson, “Why Is Music Good for the Brain?,” Harvard Health, October 7, 2020, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-is-music-good-for-the-brain-2020100721062.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] “Vision, Goals and Conceptual Framework,” gov, accessed May 28, 2024, https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/f3b21-vision-goals-and-conceptual-framework/.

^[4] Ibid.

^[5] “The Book of Psalms,” Google Books, accessed May 28, 2024, https://books.google.ie/books?id=oA_PDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PT3&ots=0QazBHkdIx&dq=The+book+of+psalms+set+to+music&lr&pg=PT3#v=onepage&q=The%20book%20of%20psalms%20set%20to%20music&f=false.

^[6] Emily P.G. Erickson et al., “Is Prayer Good for Your Health?,” EverydayHealth.com, accessed May 28, 2024, https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/power-of-prayer.aspx.

^[7] “Saol by an Tobar Nua Retreats,” SAOL, accessed May 28, 2024, https://saol.antobarnuaretreats.ie/login/?wppb_referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsaol.antobarnuaretreats.ie%2F.

^[8] “Plato: ‘Music Is the Movement of Sound to Reach the Soul for the Education of Its Virtue.,’” The Socratic Method, October 16, 2023, https://www.socratic-method.com/philosophy-quote-meanings/plato-music-is-the-movement-of-sound-to-reach-the-soul-for-the-education-of-its-virtue.