Conducting Positivity

A recent conversation with Grok . . .   

   Our community orchestra has an extraordinary conductor - gifted musically - but also involved in music and peace building - and I’m wondering if we’re more susceptible to his positivity in rehearsals than we might be in conversation or classroom

    That’s a fascinating angle! Your conductor sounds like a rare gem—blending musical talent with a mission for peace-building. Given that music-making already fires up so many brain regions, it’s plausible that his positivity could hit you and the orchestra harder during rehearsals than in a chat or classroom. 

     Here’s why that might be: When you’re playing in an orchestra, you’re not just processing notes—you’re syncing with others, riding the emotional wave of the music, and taking cues from the conductor. That’s a potent cocktail: motor skills, social bonding, and emotional resonance all at once. Research on group music-making shows it spikes oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” which could make you more attuned to his vibe. If he’s radiating positivity—say, through his energy, gestures, or the way he shapes the music—it’s like he’s got a direct line to your brain’s feel-good circuits. In a conversation or classroom, you’re mostly leaning on language and logic, which don’t pack the same visceral punch.

    Plus, his peace-building bent might amplify this. If he’s weaving that ethos into rehearsals—maybe through his choice of pieces or the way he inspires unity—you’re not just playing scales; you’re part of something bigger. That shared purpose could make his optimism stickier, especially when you’re all in that heightened, music-driven state. It’s less about being “susceptible” in a vulnerable way and more about being primed to soak up what he’s projecting.