If Dr. Pianist had a Billion Dollars

/ My musical mission / By /

If I had a billion dollars, I would use it to promote global mental wellness as “essential” and have music be a substantial part of it. It will make people happier, more resilient and productive, and enhance our individual and societal well-being overall.

Idea 1: Propose “Mental Education” as a Part of the Core School Curriculum, and Include Music as a Substantial Part

Like Physical Education. “Mental Education” will focus on developing one’s mental wellness through the theory and practice of our minds and feelings.

  1. Meditation
  2. Art and Music
    1. Theory
    2. Practice
    3. Practical individual and societal applications
  3. Sensory Experience Excercises
  4. Latest Neuroscientific Theory and how to implement them to improve our perceptions and prospect

Idea 2: Community “Here-and-Now” Centers

To promote music as a practice of letting yourself be mesmerized by the sensory experience of the here and the now, this is what I would do if I had the money.

  1. Find a evenly distributed buildings that people associate with healing, solace, community, and insight/growth. Buy them out, or partner with the already existing businesses in these structures.
    1. Schools
    2. Hospitals
    3. Community Centers
    4. Religious establishments (they need to be abandoned, and/or flexible)
    5. Business franchise (e.g. Gyms, Theaters)
  2. It is to be a community center that helps people ground themselves in the practice of savoring, in the pursuit of individual and social well-being
    1. meditation
    2. exercise/sports
    3. food education
    4. philosophy
    5. community volunteering
    6. music
  3. Have a few dedicated rooms for music that hold about 50~200 people.
  4. Divide the space into two rooms with a glass, or a one-way mirror.
    1. Room 1: Completely soundproof with a piano (and other immobile instruments)
      1. holds about 20~50.
      2. Carpeted, dim light, acoustically designed.
      3. No fixed seats – bean bags, yoga mats,
    1. Room 2: A community space where they can see/hear the music through speakers, but can make some noise
      1. holds about 30~150
      2. Desks, chairs, refreshments.
  5. Schedule musicians to play in rotation.
  6. Besides the performances, there would be a room dedicated to hold music classes on:
    1. HOW to listen,
    2. how to proactively engage in the experience of music individually, and communally
      1. dance classes
      2. mindfulness
      3. sound-bath
      4. music classes
        1. music appreciation music history based)
        2. music fundamentals (theory based)
        3. masterclasses
  7. Individual and group lessons on instrumental playing and singing.

Idea 4: Promote MBQ – Musical Brain Quotient, and its Benefit

Develop a system of measuring how susceptible one is to musical stimulation, and have one work on improving the score through:

  • Research and Development
    • How to measure individual neurologic reactions to musical stimulti
    • whether it can be improved with training/exposure or not
    • What implications would the score have for other areas of an individual’s life
  • Better Listening (attention, improved knowledge and sensitivity on aurality, etc)
  • Music Education (theory and practice)
    • Music Appreciation (general music history and fundamental theory)
    • Choir singing
    • Instrumental lessons
  • Work with BHQ (Brain Health Quotient), already in marketing stage)

Idea 5: My Book “Why Piano Now?”

I certainly do not need a billion dollars to write/publish/promote my book, but money would help me create a team to help me write and share the most effective book with the expertise, experience and perspective I have to share.

In my team, I would have:

  • Researchers
    • music therapist
    • neuroscientist
    • literary market researcher
  • Writing Coach
  • Editors
  • Publicists, etc.
If I had a billion dollars, I would use it to promote global mental wellness as "essential" and have music be a substantial part of it. It will make people happier, more resilient and productive, and enhance our individual and societal well-being overall.