Resilience Through Sound- the Power of Music as a Catalyst for Meaning and Renewal in Disruptive Times

In an era defined by uncertainty, volatility, and rapid social and technological change, resilience has emerged as a key resource for individuals and communities. This article explores how music—and specifically a dialogic, multisensory concert format called the Concert Journey—can serve as a catalyst for resilience, meaning, and renewal in disruptive times. Drawing on recent research on music, well-being, and resilience (Dingle et al., 2021; Feng & Wang, 2025; Heck et al., 2025), Small’s (1998) concept of musicking and Dewey’s (1934) theory of aesthetic experience as an active, participatory process, the paper develops an interdisciplinary framework in which live musical practice functions as a “living laboratory” of resilience. The empirical basis of the article derives from mixed-methods audience research conducted across two long-standing series created and led by the author: Musical Journeys: On a Personal Note at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and Music, Science and Inspiration at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (N ≈ 327). Quantitative survey data show exceptionally high satisfaction and inspiration ratings. Qualitative analysis reveals four recurring impact dimensions: personal enjoyment and inspiration, cultural learning and understanding, personal reflection and relevance, and social enjoyment and connectivity. The findings indicate that Concert Journey events may foster emotional regulation, self-reflection, social bonding, and interdisciplinary curiosity—core components of psychological and communal resilience. Rather than positioning music as an escape that temporarily distracts from difficulty, the model cultivates internal adaptive skills, enabling participants to reframe uncertainty as creative energy and to experience art as a resource for navigating change. The article concludes by arguing that music and the arts are not luxuries reserved for stable times but essential infrastructures for resilience and meaning-making in contemporary society, with particular potential at the intersection of arts, science, and technology.