Around Town Poignant memories are music to my ears Amy Rosen I remember playing "Taste, Touch and Smell" as a child in which a blindfolded person used their senses to determine an object before them. We'd hold cheese under my father's nose, something he despised the smell of, and roar with laughter at his reaction. I can still hear his groans of disgust and subsequent laughter whenever I encounter a pungent piece of Parmesan. Later my dad used his sense of hearing to relax to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass or Mantovani on our "Hi-Fi" stereo, music that still transports me back to my childhood. I can almost hear his breathing as he dozed while my mother prepared heavenly smelling chocolate chip cookies - a treat for our senses on several levels. Our senses are powerful entities within our bodies that can trigger powerful memories of the past. There's no better vehicle for me than music to jumpstart my sense of hearing onto a journey down memory lane. The devices to play the music have evolved from huge record players to small CD players and smaller mp3 players, but I still treasure my old record collection. Life is always moving forward, but when I hear a favorite oldie, I pause briefly and relive a bit of my past. The familiar combination of notes has the amazing ability to bring faded memories and feelings to the forefront of my mind. For instance, "To Sir With Love" by Lulu puts me behind the wheel of my first car, a used red 1973 Mustang, listening on my eight-track cassette player while enjoying my newfound independence. I disco back to high school with "Stayin' Alive" by The Bee Gees. Elton John, Billy Joel, Bread, America and even Barry Manilow evoke fond memories of good music and great times with old friends. Certain Beatles tunes take me on a magical mystery tour back through time. Abba reminds me of my mother-in-law who always had it playing when I was dating my husband. Music never fails to set me off on a journey back to the days of long ago and not so long ago, including the many songs I shared with my kids as they grew up. Maybe one day those songs will trigger fond memories for them. Hearing a good song on the car radio is like a gift for me. Bopping along to a Rolling Stones song or belting out a Carly Simon favorite in my car (when I'm alone - why ruin someone else's day?) can set the pace for my entire day or take the edge off a stressful one. Some songs that I used to love now make me weep. Music is more than just entertainment and much more powerful than some people give it credit for. Music can have the power to comment on and attempt to influence history. (ex: the 1960s) It can renew people's faith in their religion. It can give people hope for things to come. It can make people fall in love. It can make people cry. It can bring people together - and tear them apart. It can wreak havoc if used irresponsibly and misinterpreted. (Did you know that sometimes the popular genre "emo" influences some kids to cut themselves?) Music can give people the strength to go on in rough times. It can inspire others to rise up and change things. It can make people shake themselves and dance. It's a tribute to the talented musicians of all eras who create the diverse styles and sounds that have powerful effects on people everywhere. What if they were never given the opportunity to discover their talent? It's possible that exposing children to music early in their lives is just as important as reading with them. After all, young children can remember words to songs before they can even read. Perhaps if all lessons were put to music, students would retain more information. Music has a powerful and positive influence on the brain. Research has found that when music education is included in schools, scores in other subjects such as math, science and language arts increase. Music is a language of its own. The ever-changing combinations of notes that join together to create different sounds parallels the different combinations of sounds and letters that form words. But music transcends the language barrier because people can feel it and enjoy it without understanding what is being said. Both forms of expression deserve respect. There is no better feeling for a parent than watching their child shine at anything they have worked hard to accomplish. Musicians get to show off their accomplishments in front of an audience. When parents and family members attend school recitals or listen to their children perform at any venue, the immense feeling of pride can't be described. Children sense that and it validates their hard work and encourages them to continue. Applause and praise from unbiased audience members extinguish the embers of doubt that smolder under the surface, fan the flames of confidence and warm everyone's heart. Music helps socialization. Being a part of a group of people with similar interests can be rewarding and comforting. High school students who participate in band programs have been known to form a special community in which freshmen, seniors and everyone in between co-exist as one big family. The common bond of making music eases the transition into a new school when there are friendly faces to help students navigate the unfamiliar waters. Everyone marches to their own beat, but whatever our children's interests, whether it's music or anything else, education and supportive adults give them the tools to soar at any stage of life. As Carly Simon sang in "Anticipation," "These are the good old days." Let's make the best of every day, for today's music is tomorrow's memories. Amy Rosen is a Greater Media News-papers staff writer.