Our blog/article and Radio Show features Shalni Kumar our “Top University Graduate” Award winner of 2019. Also included are three articles on how studying a musical instrument improves academic performance, how listening to classical music improves health and healing, and an article on improving your child’s study skills during the summer.
Many of the world’s scientists, medical doctors, mathematicians, writers, and teachers have studied and played musical instruments since they were children. These eminent individuals have integrated music into their thinking process.
Our July article of the month is “Curb Your Spending Habits & Your Emergency Fund” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D. This is the third article for your financial success.
Radio Show Feature Question for July 2019: Shalni Kumar, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s “Top University Academic Graduate of July 2019” and what musical instrument do you play?”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/one-minute-radio-show-2019/
Shalni Kumarour “Radio Show’s Top University Award winner of 2019”. She is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology on June 7, 2019.
“Shalni Kumar, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s “Top University Academic Graduate of 2019” and what musical instrument do you play?”
Shalni: “I began studying the violin at six years of age and came to study with you, Dr. Frank when I was seven years old. For twelve years, I played solo, chamber music, and orchestra concerts with your class and continued through the 12thgrade. Once I came to college, classical music became a great stress reliever and helped me focus on my studies. Although I myself played less, I attended concerts by my peers and would often listen to classical music while working.”
Dr. Frank: “What is your major and did any of your professors inspire you?”
Shalni: “My major is in Biological Engineering. My most inspiring professor was probably Professor Peter Dourmashkin, our classical mechanics instructor. He was the very first professor I had at MIT and was incredibly dedicated to teaching.”
Dr. Frank: “What were your favorite classes?”
Shalni: “My favorite classes were mechanics, systems biology, and actually motion theater.”
Dr. Frank: “While at university were you in any clubs and did you take part in any leadership positions?”
Shalni:“Yes! I was part of our student class council and the South Asian Association. Both positions involved organizing large scale events.”
Dr. Frank: “Did you participate in any sports?”
Shalni: “My freshman year I continued playing tennis quite a bit. In later years I actually switched from playing sports to dancing.”
Dr. Frank: “Did you listen to classical music while studying?”
Shalni: “Yes definitely. I would listen to classical music quite often. It helped keep me focused and motivated.”
Dr. Frank: “Shalni, during the summers of 2016, 2017, and 2018 where were you working?”
Shalni: “During the summers of 2016 and 2017 I researched at two labs at MIT, the first focused on brain imaging and the second on microbiome-based therapeutics. The summer of 2018 I was in San Francisco working in a clinical lab where we built patient-specific heart models.”
Dr. Frank: How has playing the violin helped you through your studies at MIT?
Shalni: “My background in violin definitely gave me an appreciation for classical music that helped me throughout my time there. Not only was I able to truly enjoy performances by my classmates, but I also had found a style of music which complemented my studies.”
Dr. Frank: “Shalni what are your plans for the future?”
Shalni: “This fall I will be pursuing a PhD in Bioengineering at UC San Diego. I aim to stay in academic research and become a professor myself one day.”
Dr. Frank: “Shalni Kumar we are honored to have you as our Radio Show’s “Top University Graduate Award winner for 2019.” Thank you for sharing your work.
To read Shalni Kumar’s Blog from May 2012 go to:
To hear Shalni Kumar’s Radio Show feature question for June 2015: Shalni Kumar, how does Classical music play a part of your life as our Radio Show’s “Top High School Graduate of 2015” and what musical instrument do you play?”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/one-minute-radio-show-2015/
Curb Your Spending Habits & Save for Your Emergencies by Madeline Frank, Ph.D.
Your car just broke down and you don’t have the money to repair it! Don’t you wish you had an emergency fund to pay for it?
What’s your first step?
Gabby and Jay are going to tell us how they did it!
For one-week Gabby and Jay tracked every receipt and purchase they made including the ones for their computers. They kept all their receipts and expenses and wrote them down in a note book. They included every purchase they made even small purchases for sodas, snacks, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, groceries, going to the movies, purchasing snacks, gas for their cars, cigarettes, and any other items they purchased that week. Jay and Gabby also wrote down their weekly spending for pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts and iTunes accounts on their computers.
Gabby saved all her receipts for one week and totaled all her receipts. She looked at her first couple of receipts and realized she had gone to Starbucks with her friends 5 times that week spending $4 a day for Coffee, a total of $20 for the week. She decided to go to Starbucks with her friends three times the next week, and invites her friends to share coffee at her house two days a week, and puts the $8 she saved into her Piggy Bank to start her $1000 Emergency Fund. In a months’ time Gabby realizes she will save $32 and in 6 months she will save $192 towards her $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund.
Gabby continues looking at her receipts and realizes she bought 3 packs of cigarettes a week at $5.50 a package, $16.50 a week. Gabby says, “I spent $66 a month on cigarettes. If I cut down my smoking to a pack a week I can put $11 into my “Piggy Bank” for my Emergency Fund each week and in a month’s time I will have saved a total of $44 in my “Piggy Bank” toward my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. In 6 months I will have saved $264 toward my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund.”
Gabby says, “If I continue to go through my receipts and eliminate the items I don’t need or cut down other expenses I will have my Emergency Fund in place in less than 6 months. By cutting back on Cigarettes and coffee I’ve already saved $76 this month. I will go through my receipts and look at what else I can eliminate or cut down on. My goal is to have my Emergency Fund in place in 6 months. I am determined to do it!”
Jay has saved all his receipts for one week and totaled all his receipts. He looks at his first set of receipts and realizes he has 5 days of lunches at $8 a lunch for five days and he’s spent $40 on lunches this week.
He says, “If I bring a bag lunch to work three days a week, I can save $24 to put in my “Tin Can” to start my $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. In a month’s time I will have saved $96.” Jay then goes to his computer receipts and realizes he’s spend $45 a week on his computer for his PayPal accounts, Groupon offers, credit cards, game accounts and his iTunes account.
He says, “Do I really need these accounts, are they going to help me get my Emergency Fund up and running? These purchases are bleeding away my hard earned money. I’m going to close these accounts. That way I can put $180 a month into my “Tin Can” to save for my $1000 Emergency Fund. I will go through my receipts and look at what else I can eliminate or cut down on. My goal is to have my Emergency Fund in place in 6 months. I know I can do it!”
So, what are the three steps for you to save for your $1000 Emergency just like Jay and Gabby?
Track your spending for one week. Keep all your receipts and expenses for the week, writing them down in a note book, and at the end of the week add them together to get your total expenses for the week. Include every purchase you make even small purchases for sodas, snacks, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, groceries, going to the movies, purchasing snacks, gas for your car, cigarettes, and any other items you purchased that week. Also list your weekly spending for pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts and iTunes accounts on your computer.
- Evaluate each of your receipts, just like Gabby and Jay did, and decide if it is a needed expense or not and start putting your saved money into your Emergency Fund “Piggy Bank or Tin Bank”.
3) Look at your computer receipts like Jay did and decide if your weekly pay pal accounts, group on offers, credit cards, game accounts, and iTunes accounts on your computer can be eliminated or cut back.
Jay turned off his pay pal account, his Groupon offers, his game accounts, his iTunes account and stopped spending his credit card money on things he didn’t need.
Jay said, “These purchases are bleeding away my hard-earned money.”
By following these three steps and being determined and disciplined to do it, you will be like Gabby and Jay, able to set up your $1000 Emergency Fund.
You can also save on gas for your car each week by being aware of which gas station has a special day for saving 5cents for each gallon you purchase. In our City it’s every Thursday. What day is it in your City or town? Every penny you save can go into your $1000 Emergency Nest Egg Fund. The sooner you start the sooner you will have your $1000 Emergency Fund in place. © 2019 Madeline Frank
If you need a speaker contact Madeline at: [email protected]
How to keep your child’s school skills current during the summer:
1) This summer find out what programs your library has for your child. Share with your child the joys of reading in your home every evening.
2) Are you planning to take your child on vacation this summer? How about having a journal for your child to write in about their vacation? Ask them what they learned about each place they visited and what did they enjoy most about each place?
3) Ask your child to help you cook dinner for the family by having them help you with a recipe. They will be reading and assisting in measuring out ingredients, which will help them in both math and science.
4) The local science and history museums offer classes for children. Find one that will be most interesting to your child.
5) Have your child help you make up Flash Cards in bright colors and letters to learn multiplication tables and vocabulary words.
“Taking Music Lessons Can Boost Children’s Academic Performance” (March 28, 2018) from the citizen.co.za
“New European research has found that children who take music lessons in addition to their regular school classes benefit from improved cognitive abilities and a boost to their academic performance. Carried out by the VU University of Amsterdam, the study looked at 147 children across multiple schools in the Netherlands which all followed the regular primary school curriculum. The students were split into one of three groups: a music intervention group, one visual arts group, and a no-arts group which acted as a control.”
“After following the children for 2.5 years, the researchers tested the children’s cognitive abilities including language-based reasoning, short-term memory, planning and inhibition, and collected data on the children’s academic performance.” Dr. Jaschke, said, “Children who received music lessons showed improved language-based reasoning and the ability to plan, organize and complete tasks, as well as improved academic achievement.”
“This suggests that the cognitive skills developed during music lessons can influence children’s cognitive abilities in completely unrelated subjects, leading to overall improved academic performance. However, the researchers also noted that despite the potential benefits of music classes, they have been taken out of many curriculums around the world, in part due to competition with more academic subjects and a lack of funding.”
“10 Surprising Benefits of Classical Music” (March 15, 2019) by Jessica Dais
“Did you know that listening to classics like Bach and Beethoven is actually good for your health? Many people enjoy listening to classical music while studying or working, and now we know why! From decreasing your blood pressure to improving your memory, research has proven that listening to classical music is associated with better physical and mental health in the following ways.”
“Researchers have proven the following benefits from listening to classical music”
“Lower blood pressure – According to Oxford University , listening to music such as rap and pop increases your blood pressure, while listening to classical music lowers it.”
To read more on the benefits of listening to classical music go to:
http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/10-surprising-benefits-of-classical-music.html
“The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music” by Madeline Frank, Ph.D. is available in book form, and newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook:
com(Kindle)
Barnes and Noble(Nook)
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/the-secret-of-teaching-science-and-math-through-music/
“Musical Notes On Math” by Dr. Madeline Frank teaches your child fractions and decimals, the fun and easy way, through the rhythm of music, Winner of the Parent To Parent Adding Wisdom Award is available in book form, newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook.
com(Kindle)
Barnes and Noble(Nook)
Tips on how to use “Musical Notes On Math”
https://www.madelinefrankviola.com/musical-notes-on-math/
Madeline’s Midnight Melodies- Music From around the World”.
This CD complements her books with a blend of dance music, gigues, tangos, ballet and favorites including “Danny Boy”, Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”, Debussy’s “Claire De Lune” and others. “Madeline’s Midnight Melodies” is music to relax by and to move by for music therapy. “Madeline’s Midnight Melodies” CD is now available for purchase by downloading a song, downloading the album, or by CD by clicking below:
Download Your Copy Today!
Dr. Madeline Frank’s book “Leadership on a Shoestring Budget” is available through amazon. To order your copy of “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” as an e-book on Kindle click on the following link:
Wishing you and your family a happy July 5thfrom your Non-Invasive Medicine…Music Expert, Madeline
For over 30 years, Dr. Madeline Frank has helped children and adults overcome problems through Classical music. Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM is an award-winning teacher, author, researcher, speaker, conductor, and concert artist. She has found a scientific link between studying and/or listening to musical instruments and academic and societal success. Madeline Frank earned her Bachelor and Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music. Her education has included scholarships at the Juilliard School, Indiana University, and the University of Cincinnati and she has a violin performance diploma from the North Carolina School of the Arts. (C) 2019 Madeline Frank.