SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Music can uplift and heal. But music is also very subjective. What you like is not necessarily what others like. Why is this?
Dr. Daniel Levitin, a renowned cognitive psychiatrist, has written a book, I Heard There Was A Secret Chord, exploring the curative powers of music, showing us how and why it is one of the most potent therapies today. He brings together, for the first time, the results of numerous studies on music and the brain, demonstrating how music can contribute to the treatment of a host of ailments, from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, to cognitive injury, depression, and pain. And he will be at the 2025 Savannah Book Festival to discuss his findings.
So to begin with, why do we like some music and not other kinds? Dr. Levitin says it’s not that cut and dried. “There’s not good music and bad music. There’s music I like and music I don’t care for. And maybe someday I’ll care for it. Maybe I never will. But I retain an open mind. Musical preferences is an area of active research in my field. Why do people like the music they like? And it’s complicated.”
Complicated because there are so many factors. “There are genetic instructions for things like a propensity to be open-minded and curious that will go a long way in terms of musical taste. Some people are genetically predisposed to say, ‘I don’t want to hear that.’ Others will say, ‘Wow, that’s new and shiny and interesting. Let me explore that.’
Dr. Levitin says environment also plays a part in musical preference. “Whether you’re rebelling, or a conformist, we tend to listen to music that our friends are listening to or what the people we care about are listening to.”
As a scientist, Dr. Levitin is very qualified to discuss the many ways music impacts our lives. But he is also a talented musician himself. He plays piano, clarinet, saxophone, and guitar. He also writes music and songs. He has worked with some of the biggest music acts, producing and engineering their work. When asked who he listens to, he said, “Well, you know, most of my friends are songwriters, and so I get a constant stream of stuff they’re working on. A lot of it [hasn’t been] released yet.”
Levitan is always on the hunt for something new too. “It goes back to my days in the eighties when I was a talent scout for Columbia Records, and I would get mail bins full of stuff every day that nobody had ever heard. And I still listen to some of it.”
Levitin is excited to come to the Savannah Book Festival for the first time to promote his latest book. “I’m looking forward to presenting the book to this esteemed and celebrated festival.” His session will feature something different than others: he’ll be joined on stage by Howard Paul, president and CEO of Benedetto Guitars, the premier jazz guitars made right here in Savannah. They’ve known each other for years. Paul will play one of his favorite Benedettos during Levitin’s session as an example of how music impacts us.
Levitin is also participating in the Festival’s “SBF@Schools” program, where authors go into local schools. They discuss their writing process and answer questions from students. He’s scheduled to participate in an American Literature class at Herschel V. Jenkins High School the day before Free Festival Saturday.
“With any scientist in any field, when we find something that doesn’t make sense, we love that. It means there’s some knowledge in the canon that’s missing.” Levitin’s I Heard There Was a Secret Chord brings together dazzling ideas, cutting-edge research, and a love of all things music.
For more on Dr. Daniel Levitin’s Savannah Book Festival appearance, go to savannahbookfestival.org.
