McMaster’s Unspoken had an unforgettable night of performances where music and poetry collided
McMaster Unspoken hosted Brews and Blues: A Night of Poetry & Music on Nov. 18, 2024 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Emerson 109 bar. Poets, musicians and artists were invited to perform and showcase their talents on stage.
McMaster Unspoken is a MSU club and McMaster's first poetry publication to create a platform of creative expression for both McMaster students and the greater Hamilton community. This club organizes poetry publications, open mics, poetry slams, workshops and more.
Kaneera Uthayakumaran, co-president of McMaster Unspoken, explained that Unspoken publishes a fall anthology and winter anthology every year.
"It's mainly just about bringing arts and culture back into the McMaster community and helping emerging artists get a space and opportunity to see their name in the publication, but also to perform their pieces live," said Uthayakumaran.
It's mainly just about bringing arts and culture back into the McMaster community and helping emerging artists get a space and opportunity to see their name in the publication, but also to perform their pieces live.
Kaneera Uthayakumaran, Co-President
McMaster Unspoken
An anthology is a published collection of poems and other pieces of writing that Unspoken curates each year.
The event began with a lineup of performances that Unspoken arranged by advertising a registration form in their linktree on Instagram.
"We put out the registration form asking for sign-ups and we usually try to encourage performers to follow a theme and sometimes that encourages more people to come out . . . but when it comes to signing up it's really just a matter of them filling out that they're interested in performing, they have a piece planned and they have a set for five minutes or so," said Uthayakumaran.
Brews and Blues was an open event for both McMaster students and Hamilton locals to enjoy. Omaima Owais, events coordinator of McMaster Unspoken, explained hosting this event at the Emerson Pub helped in making that a reality. "The best part about doing it at Emerson Pub, for example, is the fact that it's not just the McMaster community, you have locals; the Hamilton community," said Owais.
Uthayakumaran discussed the reason their club chose to include performers outside of McMaster.
"Initially on the sign up form, I think we asked for McMaster [emails] . . . but then we got an email asking if someone outside of McMaster could contribute to be involved and we said "why not?" . . . as long as you can make it to the Hamilton area and the campus area, you're more than welcome to be a part of that," said Uthayakumaran.
The planned performances were followed by an intermission which included a musical performance by the band Gasleak.
"I think seeing them perform was a big highlight because we are primarily a poetry club. But then when it comes to events like this, an open mic, it's always nice to have music incorporated as well. I think going forward it kind of changes how the open mics could look for future events as well," said Uthayakumaran.
"Then afterwards we opened it up to open mics, so anyone who didn't sign up could come up and perform. Then by the end of the night they [Gasleak] just took it over again as kind of like a goodbye. So they performed more songs. It was really nice," said Owais.
Owais explained the significance of having a blend of poetry and music at the event and giving both mediums a platform. "There is a lot of overlap between music and poetry in terms of the message, how you're really opening up a part of your heart and lyrics. So it was really nice to see that overlap and we wanted to do something with that," said Owais.
"I think music just enhances the experience a lot more as well. I'd say poetry brings the intimacy to our events because the whole point is letting individuals have the platform to say things that are unspoken and start those conversations that they haven't had a chance to do so before . . . so being able to offer them [attendees] that space brings the energy to the event," said Uthayakumaran.
Asqa Rahim, the other co-president of McMaster Unspoken, discussed the impact of bringing people together and creating a platform for students to express their creativity through these events.
"I think the overarching thing is just providing a space for people to be vulnerable and have that piece of human connection through these events and through sharing work. I feel like a big thing for Unspoken is that it's not just sharing our art but also sharing parts of our hearts too," expressed Rahim.
I think the overarching thing is just providing a space for people to be vulnerable and have that piece of human connection through these events and through sharing work. I feel like a big thing for Unspoken is that it's not just sharing our art but also sharing parts of our hearts too.
Aqsa Rahim, Co-President
McMaster Unspoken
The club encourages McMaster students to join their community and share their stories in an artistic way. "If you're looking for that sense of community, if you're looking to share your story and your voice and anything that's been on your heart or heavy on your mind, Unspoken is the place to do that," said Rahim.
Check out a few of Unspoken's past anthologies on their linktree. You can join Unspoken at one of their next events and experience a new outlet to express your creativity. Look out for updates on their Instagram!
McMaster A Cappella hosted their annual winter concert at the L.R. Wilson Concert Hall, where the sold-out event showcased an unforgettable night of musical talent
The McMaster A Cappella groups kicked off the holiday season with their annual winter concert on Nov. 23, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the L. R. Wilson Concert Hall. MMAC is made up of four unique a cappella groups: Macappella, PitchSlapped, The MacaFellas and Bass'd.
Oluwatobi Adesipo, the president of McMaster A Cappella and a co-director of PitchSlapped, spoke about all the different groups that worked together to put together the concert.
"We have one group that is all voice ranges and is noncompetitive, that group is called Bass'd. And we also have three competitive groups. One of them, MacaFellas, they're a low voice group, then there is PitchSlapped which is the group I'm in and that is the higher voice group. Then there is Macapella which was the first group at McMaster and they are also an all voices group," said Adesipo.
The performance showcased a lineup of musical arrangements featuring dancing and singing by all the groups. Arrangements included Mary's Boy Child by Boney M., a Weeknd Medley, Once Upon A December by Liz Callaway, Bills Bills Bills by Destiny's Child and more holiday and pop favourites.
"Each group does two to three songs and then those songs are dispersed throughout the show . . . and we also do this thing called small groups . . . we encourage people to make their own arrangements or find arrangements online and then they can ask whoever they want to be in their small group," said Adesipo.
"I think just being on campus or in the LRW and all 80 of us occupying the same space, walking around, seeing how many people are being brought together for this one event is in and of itself my proudest moment," said Adesipo.
I think just being on campus or in the LRW and all 80 of us occupying the same space, walking around, seeing how many people are being brought together for this one event is in and of itself my proudest moment.
Oluwatobi Adesipo, President
McMaster A Cappella
An exciting highlight of the performance was the prize draw. Audience members could buy raffle tickets before the performance for a chance to win one of several prizes.
The prizes included four free music lessons from Picks & Sticks Music, two $100 vouchers from Allure Fitness, two free movie vouchers from The Westdale Theatre, one voucher for a free dozen cupcakes from Westdale Cupcakes and a serenade performance.
"Our club specifically always auctions off a serenade from the executive director team. Someone can come up on stage and then the executive director team sings to them while the audience is watching," said Adesipo.
Adesipo emphasized the passion and time and time MMAC members put in to the performance. "It's truly a lot of time but we all do it because we love it and we love to sing . . . so I'm excited for people to reap the rewards of all their efforts," said Adesipo.
Adesipo reflected on the impact of being able to host an event with such large groups of performers. "There is nothing more important than community . . . being surrounded by truly some of the most talented people I've met in my life at all times is such a blessing," expressed Adesipo.
There is nothing more important than community . . . being surrounded by truly some of the most talented people I've met in my life at all times is such a blessing.
Oluwatobi Adesipo, President of
McMaster A Cappella
If you missed McMaster A Cappella's stunning performance, they have a spring concert next term, individual club events, club fundraisers and more! Check their Instagram for more updates and ways to get involved with a cappella at McMaster.
The McMaster Association for Caribbean and West Indian Students hosted their first Jouvert, a traditional carnival celebration of Caribbean culture
The McMaster Association of Caribbean and West Indian Students held their first Jouvert on Sept. 14, 2024 to celebrate the beginning of the school year. The event was titled “Summer Rewind: The Colours Experience” and ran from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ten Acre Field.
Originating from Trinidad, Jouvert is the kick-off of Carnival, the traditional cultural festivals celebrated across the Caribbean and features music, dancing and covering one another in colorful paint, oil, or powder. The MACaws had DJ Verse One HD playing music from a variety of Caribbean countries. When attendees arrived, they were given towels, which were available for pre-order and coloured powder.
In an interview with the Silhouette, MACaws co-vice president Zara Owen said that the club typically hosts a large event at this time of year and that she had suggested the idea of a Jouvert. “I’m an international student from Barbados and this particular type of event is very big. It’s a big part of our culture but it’s also a main event in a lot of our carnivals and cultural festivals back in the Caribbean. So we thought it’d be a good idea to get people engaged and introduce people to the club and a core aspect of our culture and how we celebrate our culture back home,” said Owen.
It’s a big part of our culture but it’s also a main event in a lot of our carnivals and cultural festivals back in the Caribbean. So we thought it’d be a good idea to get people engaged and introduce people to the club and a core aspect of our culture and how we celebrate our culture back home.
Zara Owen, Co-Vice President
MACaws
Owen mentioned that they spoke with other clubs for advice to ensure the event would be approved. One of these was the Hindu Students Association, which throws a Holi celebration that involves throwing colourful powder on each other. “We connected with them to figure out how they went about getting the event approved because it has similarities to what we do,” said Owen.
Owen also said that the club wanted to consider their environmental impact. “We also asked about what kind of powder, what kind of materials they use because the integrity of our fields is very important to the school and also very important to us. We wanted to make sure we weren’t using anything that would damage school property or negatively impact the soils, the environment or the grass,” said Owen.
We also asked about what kind of powder, what kind of materials they use because the integrity of our fields is very important to the school and also very important to us. We wanted to make sure we weren’t using anything that would damage school property or negatively impact the soils, the environment or the grass
Zara Owen, Co-Vice President
MACaws
Jouvert is traditionally held in the early morning. The name comes from the French words jour ouvert, meaning daybreak. Owen said that MACaws chose to hold the event later in the day to avoid disturbing the neighbouring community and to work around facility hours.
The event did not allow alcohol and was open to students aged 17 and older. MACaws president Leon Murray told the Silhouette this decision was received with some negative feedback because they often host events at clubs where alcohol is available for purchase.
Murray mentioned part of the reason they did not include alcohol was because the event was being held for the first time and it was on campus. “We're also trying to be inclusive of the first years who may not be able to attend those other events the throughout the year, so at least getting them in and having them kind of enjoy the culture for at least one party event was a big goal of ours,” said Murray.
According to Owen, the event was an overall success. “The majority, if not all the people that came said they had a great time. I had roommates of mine that have had no interaction with Caribbean culture ever before that took a plunge and came. They said this was one of the greatest parties they’d ever been to. I think it was, for people that went, a great experience,” said Owen.
I had roommates of mine that have had no interaction with Caribbean culture ever before that took a plunge and came. They said this was one of the greatest parties they’d ever been to.
Zara Owen, Co-Vice President
MACaws
Murray said that the club may consider holding another Jouvert in April, weather permitting. “Otherwise it would kind of be us handing it off to next year's team, and giving them the blueprint of what we did this year and then hoping they're able to replicate it and make it bigger for next year,” said Murray.
MACaws is accepting general members until Oct. 21. If you are interested in being involved with the club and hearing about future events, visit their Instagram page to stay updated.
This McMaster club is dedicated to fostering community and providing accessible music lessons
In today's economy, having a hobby can seem to be a privilege. Especially when doing what you love comes at a high financial cost, maintaining your passion When Sally Tsoi, a fourth-year student at McMaster University become aware of this barrier within the music world, she was inspired to found the Sound of MacMusic.
Offering free music lessons to McMaster students, the club is dedicated to making music more accessible. Currently, the club is recruiting new students and volunteer instructors and organizing a group trip to Long & McQuade, Canada's largest music store. Sally spoke with the Silhouette to share more about what Sound of MacMusic has to offer.
The Silhouette: Before we begin, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sally Tsoi : I am the founder and president of Sound of MacMusic and I'm currently in my fourth year of Health Sciences at McMaster. I’ve played piano for around 15 years but I’m still trying to improve.
Why did you start SOM?
SOM was founded because our team believes in two things: that music is a universal language and that education is a fundamental right. In the past, [music lessons] were seen as more of a prestigious thing. Nowadays, music education has become a bit more widespread, but we still see a lot of barriers, like cost, that are preventing people from accessing music education. Our club is trying to address these two constraints by offering free music lessons that are taught by student volunteers at McMaster.
Our team believes in two things: that music is a universal language and education is a fundamental right.
Sally Tsoi, founder and president, Sound of MacMusic
What can students gain from joining SOM?
Along with free music lessons, club members will receive an online seven-page guide with information on instrument rentals, practice spaces on campus and the surrounding Hamilton area, as well as other music related resources, such as sheet music. We're also trying to promote less mainstream, Westernized music and musical instruments by providing students with more diverse instruments from different cultures.
Why do you think music is so integral to university students?
There really isn't a barrier in music itself in terms of how you can express yourself. You can consider music as simply sounds and melodies and harmonies and rhythms. You don't even technically need an instrument to make music, so there's a big variety of ways one can interact with and enjoy it. For students, who often live in very stressful environments, I think music is a great way to help relieve stress and to reflect on how we can enjoy our life even more.
To become a SOM member, sign up for a membership here. For the latest updates, visit the club’s Instagram page @som.mcmaster.
This new, and rapidly growing, McMaster club is building community and fostering inclusivity through representation in music
At first glance, MOOD FM is simply a club at McMaster University where students meet to discuss and explore music on a weekly basis. However, since its ratification in May 2022, the club has carved out a unique identity and purpose for itself.
“[We focus] on addressing inequality in how music is typically thought about and consumed,” said Mara Zacharia, a club executive and third-year chemical biology student.
[We focus] on addressing inequality in how music is typically thought about and consumed.
Mara Zacharia, MOOD FM club executive
MOOD FM is focused on building community, highlighting underrepresented groups in music and bridging the gap between students and the local Hamilton music scene. The club selects a new album each week for listening parties, meetings and discussions. As of this year, the weekly albums are selected to fit one of two themes: music made by female and genderqueer artists or music made by black artists. MOOD FM alternates between these themes monthly.
The focus of October was women in goth. Each week throughout the month, the club explored a different album within this theme, including ones by Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cocteau Twins. The listening parties are hosted online over Discord every Tuesday at 9 p.m., and the in-person discussions take place on Wednesdays in room 203 in the McMaster University Student Centre from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
MOOD FM also introduced a new playlist swap initiative this year. Club members have the option to sign-up for a playlist swap, where they will create a playlist with five songs for someone else and receive one in return every other Sunday. Over the course of two weeks, the pairs are encouraged to listen to the playlists and write a short discussion about their thoughts.
“I’ve already been [introduced to] a bunch of other bands and artists that I didn’t know before. . .it’s really fun and it’s a good way to explore new genres,” said Aidan Zeglinski, a club executive and third-year chemistry student.
MOOD FM hopes to encourage students to engage with local music and bands and has organized outings in the Hamilton community to help with this.
“When Supercrawl came to Hamilton last month, we actually went out as a group and came out to show support to the local community, but also to introduce people, like first years and people who are not as [involved] in the Hamilton music scene and art scene,” said Zacharia.
We actually went out as a group and came out to show support to the local community, but also to introduce people, like first years and people who are not as [involved] in the Hamilton music scene and art scene.
Mara Zacharia, MOOD FM club executive
The club hopes to increase the frequency and variety of their outings, which may include hikes or record store runs in the future.
The MOOD FM Discord currently has around 300 members, with around 40 to 50 active members attending events and club meetings. The club executives have also noticed an influx of new members in their growing community, especially after ClubsFest this year.
“We’re not intimidating, we’re not scary people, we’re not going to ask you what your three favourite Nirvana songs are if you’re wearing a Nirvana shirt. We’re really just music-loving people that just want to talk about music in any way we can,” said Zeglinski.
The club is looking to expand the events they offer and to potentially collaborate with other clubs and organizations on campus this year. To learn more about the club and find out what they are listening to next, visit their Instagram page or website.
Hamilton’s local record store welcomes its community with open doors
The digitization of music has arguably made listening more accessible for us on-the-go university students. Entire albums can be downloaded in the span of a few seconds, and mixtapes can be compiled with the touch of a few buttons. But in this pursuit of high-speed consumption, we risk isolating ourselves from communal experiences in the real world. Musician and store owner Brad Germain hopes to change that.
In 2017, Germain founded Into The Abyss, a record store which takes its name from a Nietzsche quote, as a way to provide service for his community. Now situated on 267 King St East, the store is reinventing what it means to be your local vinyl supplier. Offering artisanal t-shirts and pins, and a variety of different live events, such as poetry nights and live concerts, Into The Abyss is dedicated to nurturing a gathering space for Hamiltonians.
“I’ve always wanted my shop to be a community spot. So many of the events and shows we have are just a way to make people feel like they’re a part of something, and I think that’s a really important thing to have in a city,” said Germain.
I’ve always wanted my shop to be a community spot. So many of the events and shows we have are just a way to make people feel like they’re a part of something, and I think that’s a really important thing to have in a city.
Brad Germain, Owner of Into The Abyss
The store fosters learning as well, particularly among students. Among the crates of vinyl, Germain hopes Into The Abyss can act as a catalyst for expanding one’s musical knowledge — in fact, he thinks a visit to the store should be a prerequisite for graduating.
“You can learn a lot just by poking around in here. As a student, you go to school to learn and [I think] an extension of learning should be learning about the culture and cultural practices of the place where you are. Exposure to culture and community is a huge part of finding yourself,” said Germain.
You can learn a lot just by poking around in here. As a student, you go to school to learn and [I think] an extension of learning should be learning about the culture and cultural practices of the place where you are. Exposure to culture and community is a huge part of finding yourself.
Brad Germain, Owner of Into The Abyss
Discovering who you are, what you like and what you dislike are major revelations many of us come to during our university years. While the process can take time, finding your true self is a reward worth waiting for. In the midst of this journey of self discovery, Into The Abyss wants to be your guide.
“If you’re coming from a different city or you’re coming to a new place for school, I think community becomes a very important thing. To have places that feel comfortable and safe for you to be at, where you can experience new things and meet new people. The store is really good for that here,” Germain expressed.
Into The Abyss is open from 12 P.M. to 5 P.M. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12 P.M to 7 P.M on Wednesdays and Fridays, and 11 A.M to 5 P.M. on Saturdays. For the latest sales, shows and events, visit their Instagram account here.
Downtown Hamilton will be lively with music, visual art, fashion, literature and more as Supercrawl returns for another year
A nonprofit organization founded in 2009, Supercrawl spotlights Hamilton’s vibrant arts and culture community. Taking place every year in September, the event is a weekend of artistic events and performances.
This year’s Supercrawl features three music stages, a theatre-dance stage, a fashion tent, a family zone, a visual art zone and an author tent. Beyond all of this, Supercrawl also hosts numerous local vendors, making it a great occasion for shopping as well.
Those interested in attending Supercrawl can see CFMU’s own Jamie Tennant moderate authors panels and discuss his own writing or they can check out the Ark Collective for local BIPOC-owned fashion businesses. Events begin in the daytime and continue into the late night. A full schedule can be found here.
Supercrawl is a well-loved community tradition in Hamilton, but it also draws in crowds from outside the city. According to the Supercrawl website, over 200,000 people attended the event last year. The website also highlights the economic benefits of this, stating that last year’s Supercrawl had an economic impact of approximately thirty million dollars.
For McMaster University students looking to become more involved in the Hamilton community, Supercrawl is a great starting point. Students can explore local art, music, literature, and fashion, all within a two-kilometer radius.
Winterfest is a widespread event hosted by the city to chase away the winter blues
From Feb. 2 to 20, Hamilton is holding its annual Winterfest. This event is being hosted in partnership with Cobalt Connects, a company focused on promoting arts and culture in Hamilton in an effort to bring over 60 fun activities, including exhibitions to sports games, to the city.
Hamilton Winterfest originally started in the 1970s as a small community event organized by volunteers. Over the years, it has grown into a larger production and this year, the Winterfest Hub, where the some of the events will be run, will be located on the rooftop of Jackson Square. The Hub will be decorated with light installations, art and performances.
Jeremy Freiburger, who has been a producer of Winterfest for the past five years, is also a McMaster University alumnus. After his undergraduate studies, he attended the American Music and Dramatic Arts Academy in New York before returning to McMaster again and working at the Conservatory and the Hamilton Arts Council.
He has made a significant impact on the city’s arts and cultural scene as well through his work founding Cobalt Connect. Through Cobalt Connect, he and his team later created the Cotton Factory, a creative studio space for local artists and events. Cobalt Connect has also been a co-producer of Winterfest in recent years.
As producer, Freiburger’s role consists of supporting community organizations with whatever they need, including marketing, finance management and grant writing. Freiburger explained Winterfest stands out from other big festivals the city hosts because of how widespread it is.
“[Winterfest] is a festival that is across the city, so unlike things like Supercrawl or Festival of Friends that are in one site, we've got about 70 events that are in Dundas, Stoney Creek, up on the mountain down by the water . . . They're literally across the city,” said Freiburger.
So even if you don’t want to make the trek downtown, it is highly likely that there could be multiple events happening nearby or even right in your neighbourhood.
The art being exhibited this year at the Hub includes everything from curated pieces such as sculptures, to art installations in partnership with the Royal Botannical Gardens. Freiburger is excited about the art they’ve commissioned and to introduce new artists and unique works they’ve created this year. He hopes everyone who visits the festival walks away having had a good time and getting exposure to seeing a different, artistic side of the city.
“I hope [attendees] walk away with a great sense of optimism about downtown . . . People from across the city have an idea in their mind of what downtown [looks like] and I think events like this can help change that mindset. So I hope people walk away feeling really excited,” he said.
“I hope [attendees] walk away with a great sense of optimism about downtown . . . People from across the city have an idea in their mind of what downtown [looks like] and I think events like this can help change that mindset. So I hope people walk away feeling really excited."
Jeremy Freiburger, producer of Winterfest
Freiburger wants students to know they’ve organized Winterfest this year for them to enjoy as well. With events like free concerts, dance classes, skating and more, the festival considered various events to include activities everyone could appreciate. Winterfest can be a great opportunity to spend time with loved ones while participating in fun activities made to help you appreciate the season.
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a night of theatrical shows and live music
On Feb. 10, the Gritty City Theatre Company held their first-ever fundraiser event, Gritty City Steels your Heart, at the Spice Factory in downtown Hamilton.
The Gritty City Theatre Company was founded in 2019 by Melissa Murray-Mutch and Jason Thompson. They wanted to explore race, class and all things theatrical in their productions and foster community and family through their spaces.
“We have a great group of people that are working with us and they want to do it and I started to think of our theatre company as a home – we want it to be a home for people,” said Murray-Mutch.
The purpose of the Feb. 10 fundraiser was to bring awareness to their company, thank the cast of their last Fringe digital exclusive performance and celebrate Valentine’s Day with the rest of the community.
The evening of the Gritty City Steels your Heart event was filled with live music by arttheboy, a Hamilton-based artist and filmmaker; a live band performance by Badnew, a local punk band by Lola Medina and brothers Jack & Ben Caunter performing the “Hammered 2.0” soundtrack and an art exhibit and market organized by Jessika and Natasha Reddy. There were also performances from the Canadian Slavery Project, directed by Melissa Murray-Mutch and screenings of “Hammered” and “Hammered 2.0”, directed by John-Riley O'Handley and Lucy Reddy respectively. There was also food, drinks and raffles offered at the event.
Murray-Mutch hoped attendees would learn more about the Gritty City family, their hidden talent and continue to support their work. She also hoped that this event will attract more artists to collaborate with them in future projects.
“[We] want to attract more artists as well. We want people who want to work with us, and we want to let people know that we are [a] driving force in the community as well. Even though we're small, we’re mighty,” said Murray-Mutch.
Most of all, she hopes attendees will have an enjoyable time at the event.
“We want to do quality work, but we want to make it fun for everybody. We want people to come there and just have a great time,” she said.
“We want to do quality work, but we want to make it fun for everybody. We want people to come there and just have a great time."
Melissa Murray-Mutch, Founder of Gritty City Theatre Company
Moving forward, Gritty City plans on starting a new community theatre project and collaborating more with local artists. Additionally, they hope to continue to produce more showings for larger audiences while exploring new genres.
C/O Rodion Kutsaev (Unsplash)
Why our music taste and favourite movie genre say a lot more about our identities than we think
I am a big fan of indie music. Oftentimes, I’ll play my music around someone and expect that they’ll hate this unique style of music. However, sometimes I’m proven wrong, realizing they actually love it and I’ve always wondered why.
Why do some people like certain types of music and others do not? Why are there shy individuals who love loud electronic dance music while some daredevils may despise horror movies?
Music, movies, books and all things art or digital that we consume are a key important factor in many people’s lives. So what is it that makes it so meaningful? Is it our identities that are just attracted to certain styles or do we become modelled by what we consume?
Is it our identities that are just attracted to certain styles or do we become modelled by what we consume?
The latest study comes from a team at the University of Cambridge, led by doctoral candidate David Greenberg and researcher Simon Baron-Cohen whose theory states that brain types can be classified by being empathic — responding more to the emotion of others— or systemizing — analysing rules or patterns in the world around them.
With this information, they completed a study with 4,000 participants and were asked to complete a questionnaire prior to determining their results of empathetic and systemizing thinking. Then, participants listened to 50 mystical pieces from 26 genres and rated the pieces.
According to their results, an empathizer might gravitate towards unpretentious styles like country or folk and mellower music like soft rock, whereas systemizers might gravitate towards intense music like punk or heavy metal.
Surprise! Researchers have also found a link between your favourite movie genre and one’s personality. For example, those who enjoy comedy tend to be more open. This can be explained by the fact that comedy movies are often more original. They contain humour, their plot lines are unpredictable and they challenge conventional ways of thinking.
With horror for example, they found that individuals were less agreeable, less extroverted and more neurotic. They also found that those who hate horror are actually more agreeable and prefer a movie that displays images of kindness and warmth.
I have always found this information to be immensely fascinating, but I still wondered why? How do we even like something in the very first place? Why do we like things?
Although it is a tricky question to answer as some individuals just like things due to familiarity or just liking it for no reason but liking it, there is some evidence to support one’s preferences. In his book You May Also Like, Tom Vanderbilt looks to answer this exact question.
Vanderbilt finds that there are multiple factors that influence what we like. According to Vanderbilt, our liking for something is not a singular proposition. Instances such as liking certain foods or disliking some people is a result of one’s exposure, culture and personality.
Vanderbilt finds that there are multiple factors that influence what we like. According to Vanderbilt, our liking for something is not a singular proposition. Instances such as liking certain foods or disliking some people is a result of one’s exposure, culture and personality.
What one has to remember is at the end of the day we can only theorise, as the topic being researched is so much deeper than one might assume that we simply cannot answer it in the way we want to.
While psychology can help us understand some of the reasons behind our interests, it cannot definitively characterize every unique factor or experience that makes us all who are. Regardless, I find it extremely interesting and definitely think this field of study — and its application to the music we like — should be talked about more.
