Dan Landrum Dances the Neural Tango

A unique hammered dulcimer concert featuring the amazing Chattanooga musician Dan Landrum will take place at the Cadek Conservatory of Music on Sunday afternoon November 8th at 3:00 pm. The concert is part of a continuing series presented by the nonprofit organization Music Therapy Gateway In Communications, Inc. (MTGIC) in an ongoing celebration of the art of music in therapy, and is supported by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission as part of their 2015-16 Arts Build Communities grant cycle. These events are designed to both entertain and educate the audience regarding the use of music as a direct conduit to the brain and central nervous system, and will also briefly touch on the physiology of the musician’s brain. Research shows that the playing of an instrument positively transforms and develops the brain, and is beneficial for both neuro-typical and special needs populations.

A brief media overview will be presented by MTGIC Executive Director Martha Summa-Chadwick to begin the afternoon’s entertainment, as she demonstrates research examples of how the brain changes under the influence of playing a musical instrument. Mr. Landrum will then take over the stage for the rest of the concert in a mixture of some of his own compositions as well as a mix of old time tunes and jazzy renditions of popular classics played on his hammered dulcimer. The rhythmic output from his playing will demonstrate to the audience the power of how music moves the body, as most will be unable to refrain from tapping a finger or toe along with the delightful beat.

The last few numbers will showcase an opportunity for the audience to participate along with the music as Mr. Landrum will invite all interested concertgoers to join him on stage or sit in the audience and play various percussion instruments along with him. This will again reveal the ease of moving the body when accompanied by rhythmic stimulus, and everyone will be invited to join in the fun.

This event is free of charge and open to the public. Organizations interested in learning more about biomedical music via MTGIC’s free concert or lecture series can contact Martha Summa-Chadwick at www.mtgic.org or at her personal website, www.marthasumma.com.