The 10 Best TED Talks About Music

Our new normal is filled with an abundance of stress and anxiety, whether it’s due to remote working, homeschooling your children, or claustrophobia stemming from quarantining and social distancing. Everybody utilizes different coping strategies to maintain their sanity, but music has always been a reliable escape for people looking to wind down and decompress. With concert halls closing across the globe, we wanted to find alternative outlets for travelers looking to fill that void in their life.

Classic FM published a fantastic list of the major classical concerts and events being streamed online, but there’s so much incredible content online that it can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why we decided to create a list of the best music-related TED Talks to keep our readers informed and entertained during this challenging time. Whether you’re looking for knowledge, humor, or inspiration, there’s something for everybody.

You may find yourself facing a deafening silence as you self-isolate and take the necessary steps needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but we hope these TED Talks provide a welcome diversion.

Our Playlist

1. Benjamin Zander: The transformative power of classical music  (20:31)
2. Itay Talgam: Lead like the great conductors (20:36)
3. Tom Thum: The orchestra in my mouth (11:29)
4. Esha Alwani: What it’s like to have Tourette’s — and how music gives me back control (9:48)
5. Sirena Huang: An 11-year-olds magical violin (24:29)
6. Evelyn Glennie: How to truly listen (31:57)
7. Mark Appelbaum: The mad scientist of music (16:35)
8. Charlie Hazelwood: Trusting the ensemble (19:20)
9. Robert Gupta: Between music and medicine (16:12)
10. Pamelia Kurstin: The untouchable music of the theremin (18:58)

Bonus (with animation):

• Anita Collins: How playing an instrument benefits your brain (4:44)
• Tim Hansen: How to read music (5:24)

Are there any great TED Talks about music that weren’t included on our list? Please let us know on Facebook or Twitter, or email encoretours@acis.com with your suggestions.