🎺 Music and Community – How Playing an Instrument Creates Social Bonds

Few things unite people like music. From gospel choirs to school bands, jazz ensembles to string quartets, playing music with others is a uniquely powerful form of human connection. Beyond technique and talent, music builds belonging—a sense of shared rhythm, mutual listening, and trust.

At a time when loneliness and social isolation are rising, especially among young people, learning an instrument opens the door to communities where everyone has a voice—even without words.

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🤝 Why Music Connects Us

Playing an instrument alongside others demands:

• Active listening
• Non-verbal communication
• Collaborative timing and expression

Psychologists call this “entrainment”—the synchronising of behaviours and rhythms between people. It creates:

• A sense of attunement
• Empathy through sound
• Group identity and emotional resonance

“When we play music together, our brains quite literally sync up.”
— Dr. Laurel Trainor, McMaster University, Canada

In one of her studies, children who engaged in joint music-making were more likely to cooperate and help each other than those in non-musical play activities.

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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Real-World Stories of Musical Belonging

1. The Kanneh-Mason Family

All seven siblings of this famous British musical family play instruments and often perform together.

“Playing together wasn’t just about music—it was about supporting each other. We felt heard.”
— Braimah Kanneh-Mason, violinist

2. Community Choirs & Street Bands

In initiatives like The People’s Orchestra (UK), players from all walks of life—many of them amateurs—come together to make music. Participants report:

• Lower levels of anxiety
• Higher self-esteem
• A deeper sense of purpose

One participant shared:

“Before joining, I hadn’t spoken to anyone properly in weeks. Now I have friends—and I have music.”

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🏫 The Role of Ensemble Playing in Schools

Group music lessons or school ensembles offer young people vital opportunities for:

• Peer interaction and shared achievement
• Leadership and responsibility (e.g., being section leader)
• Social emotional learning (SEL)

In a 2019 study by the University of Edinburgh, schoolchildren who participated in regular music ensemble rehearsals showed:

• Improved teamwork and empathy scores
• Increased engagement with school life
• Reduced instances of bullying

“Music groups are among the most inclusive, cooperative spaces in a school.”
— Prof. Raymond MacDonald, University of Edinburgh

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💬 Try It Yourself: Musical Conversations

Activity:
Sit down with another player (or record yourself responding to a pre-recorded phrase). One person plays a musical “question” (e.g. a phrase in C major), and the other answers.

This teaches:

• Listening before responding
• Matching tone and emotion
• Taking turns—musically and socially

You’ll start to feel the subtle emotional communication at the heart of ensemble playing.

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🎬 Watch this!

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📚 Cited Sources & Further Reading

• Trainor, L. (2012). Entrainment and the neuroscience of group music-making. McMaster University.
• MacDonald, R. (2019). Music and Social Psychology in Education. University of Edinburgh.
• Youth Music (2021). Sound of the Next Generation.
• People’s Orchestra (2022). Annual Community Impact Report.
• Kanneh-Mason Foundation. (2023). Music and Family.

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🌍 Final Thoughts

Instruments are not just tools for self-expression—they’re bridges between people. Whether it’s a duet, a jam session, or an orchestra, every shared musical moment strengthens the threads of community, helping people feel seen, connected, and understood.

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Next Up:
Post 5 – The Brain’s Playground: Cognitive and Academic Benefits of Learning an Instrument