The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Episode: "Using Music Purposefully"

Guests: Mort & Sara Sherman (Resonant Minds)
Host: Ginny Yurich
Date: August 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the transformative and purposeful use of music in childhood and family life, paralleling the core theme of the podcast: reclaiming childhood through intentional experience—notably outdoors, but here, also through musical engagement. Ginny welcomes father-daughter authors Mort and Sara Sherman to discuss their book, Resonant Minds: The Transformative Power of Music, One Note at a Time, and the ways music, like nature, can shape wellbeing, cognition, and community from the earliest years onward.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Music as a Parallel to Nature in Childhood Development

• Ginny draws a direct connection between the well-documented benefits of nature and the often-overlooked power of music in the home.
• Both nature and music, when engaged purposefully, have multifaceted positive effects on development, executive function, and emotional regulation. (04:16)

2. The Shermans’ Musical Journey & Genesis of the Book

• Sara began playing piano at age 5, inspired by her sister and supported by playful musical interactions with Mort, including singing “Ode to Joy” with animal sounds. (04:36)
• Sara describes professional highlights, like performing as a soloist with orchestras (Shostakovich concerto), and the challenge of balancing artistry and motherhood—which led to founding Mozart for Munchkins, concerts for children and babies. (06:00)
• Mort, while not musically gifted in the traditional sense, shares the personal, emotional lineage of music in his family and the importance of “the mindful or musical spark.” (08:03)

Notable Quote:

"What is that mindful or musical spark that fills our lives in ways that complete us as humans?... Our goal then is to figure out what that neuroscience is, what that musical spark is, what that connection is, and to enable others to take mindful action."
— Mort Sherman (09:14)

3. Purposeful use of Music vs. Passive Consumption

• Most people listen to music daily (over 75%), but few use it intentionally as a tool for well-being or connection.
• Mort and Sara stress the difference between being passive and purposeful—incorporating music in family and community life deliberately, as a counterpart to intentional nature exposure. (10:39)

Notable Quote:

"This book is about how to make it purposeful, how to use music purposefully... similar to how we’re trying to get kids outside practicing an instrument."
— Ginny Yurich (10:45)

4. Parental Guidance: Encouragement without Pressure

• The Shermans discuss balancing encouragement and joyful participation in music, versus the risk of “tiger parenting” or making it a chore.
• Playfulness—animal sounds, kitchen percussion, outdoor “rock drumming”—is as valuable as formal lessons, and builds a deep joyful foundation. (12:34)

Notable Quote:

"There are so many opportunities to have the brain connected to music around us and to make it joyful."
— Mort (13:45)

5. The Neuroscience of Music: Key Benefits and Practices

• Sara delves into neuroscience: musical exposure fires synapses within 100–300 milliseconds, far faster than conscious recognition.
• Benefits include: stress reduction, emotional bonding (oxytocin), activation of brain’s default mode, synchronization (groove/rhythm) for social and cognitive benefit.
• Purposeful actions: breathe with music, pick pieces for desired emotional state, use beats that match walking pace outdoors for community and well-being. (15:58)

Notable Quotes:

"There are certain ways in which we can select music to take us from where we are to where we want to be."
— Sara (16:48)

"When you listen to music with people, your brain waves synchronize... creating this sense of community."
— Sara (17:41)

6. Music Accessibility: From Mozart to Playlists

• Mozart for Munchkins creates inclusive musical spaces where children, regardless of background, can be expressive and involved.
• Performances celebrate all genres and encourage active listening: clapping, dancing, “drawing what you hear.”
• Instrument petting zoos break down the formality and barriers that make classical music feel inaccessible. (24:45; 29:26)

Notable Quote:

"If your kid cries during Debussy, maybe they learn really early on, impressionistic music is for them and that's okay, but maybe they'll really start enjoying Bach or Gershwin."
— Sara (27:21)

7. Changing Classical Music Culture for Young Audiences

• Modern concert etiquette (silence, formality) is a recent development; historically, audiences were interactive and expressive.
• Engaging children means inviting noise, questions, and participation, both in the concert hall and outdoors. (30:41)

Notable Quote:

"This idea of sitting in a concert hall and being on our best behavior is… more modern... We know that because we have records of Mozart writing letters… the audience cheered, just like I knew they would."
— Sara (30:41)

8. Playlists: Practical Mindful Musical Curation

• Playlists are more than background—they can become intentional family rituals, co-created and themed (e.g., morning, bedtime, road trip).
• Avoid the “feedback loop of the familiar”; use playlists to expand horizons, share tastes, and open conversations about emotion and identity. (35:50)

Notable Quotes:

"Creation of the playlist mentality is not just about music, it’s about connection, it’s about making networks, it’s about using music in a mindful way..."
— Mort (36:32)

"If somebody is selecting a song and if we really listen, it's a way of trying to understand them where they are."
— Sara (39:58)

9. Nature and Music: Patterns and Parallels

• Nature never asks us to be quiet; it’s always performing if we listen. Creating mindfulness around sound (birds, water, wind) can be as healing and centering as music. (42:27)
• Both music and nature foster vivid, multi-sensory memories that screen time rarely recreates. (50:18)

Notable Quotes:

"Nature is always performing— you just have to listen. And I think sometimes we forget to listen to what's happening all around us."
— Sara (42:55)

"It's so magical to be outside and just to listen... that mindful listening, I think, is so powerful."
— Mort (42:27)

10. Memory, Simplicity, and Lifelong Impact

• The most enduring childhood memories are simple: laundry with a singing parent, playing in dirt imagining mermaids, picking carrots from the garden.
• Music and nature together: “The science is catching up and showing emphatically these things are good for us, for our families, for our children.” (52:36)

Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• [04:36] Sara: “I used to sneak into all of [my sister’s] lessons…and play with my nose, with my toes. I was really obnoxious.”
• [08:03] Mort: “I struggled all my life. I always loved hearing music, but...I can't memorize…I’ve overcome it admirably well.”
• [17:41] Sara: “If you’re actually listening to music with people, your brain waves synchronize…creating this sense of community.”
• [21:14] Ginny/Mort: “Don’t think of it like a sacrifice…It’s what parenting is. Every moment is that commitment to bringing that next generation into being human.” — Mort
• [27:21] Sara: “If your kid cries during Debussy, maybe they learned really early on impressionistic music isn’t for them — and that’s okay!”
• [36:32] Mort: “Creation of the playlist mentality is not just about music, it’s about connection, it’s about making networks, it’s about using music in a mindful way…”
• [42:55] Sara: "Nature is always performing— you just have to listen."
• [50:18] Mort: "I could smell the laundry and I could hear my mother singing as we hung the laundry together in the backyard."
• [52:36] Ginny: “It’s the simple things…music is the same…science is catching up and showing emphatically that these things are so good for us, for our families, for our children.”

Practical Takeaways & Activity Ideas

• Intentional Playlists: Create purpose-driven playlists as a family—by mood, activity, or shared event. E.g., morning energizers, car rides, bedtime calm, family connection, or event-specific like a Grand Canyon trip.
• Co-creation and Conversation: Involve every family member in playlist design; ask “Why did you pick that song?” to foster connection and empathy.
• Active Listening Prompts: Breathe along to music, “draw what you hear,” find rhythmic patterns for clapping or movement.
• Expose children early: Don’t shy away from concert experiences—find or create musical events where kids are welcome to move, vocalize, and explore instruments.
• Embrace Musical Diversity: Deliberately step outside genre comfort zones to broaden the family’s musical perspective.
• Bridge with Nature: Encourage listening to (and making) music outdoors—whether it’s using natural “instruments” or tuning into nature’s inherent rhythms and melodies.

Additional Resources

• Resonant Minds (book): Neuroscience, practical activities, and playlists for families.
• Mozart for Munchkins: Inclusive, experiential music programs for young children and families.
• Resonant Minds Blog (Psychology Today): Playlists and insights for specific moments (e.g., family milestones, teaching, remembrance).
• Upcoming Outdoor Event: Hamilton 10-year anniversary event at Hudson Yards NYC—interactive outdoor concert for children and families. ([34:38])

Conclusion

Music, approached with intention and playfulness, can bring families together, foster emotional and cognitive growth, and provide lifelong joy—much like the podcast’s central advocacy for purposeful time outdoors. The Shermans’ message is clear: start small, embrace simplicity, be creative, and above all, let music become a shared living language in your home.