The greatest gift of music. Choctaw Poem song.

[“Why do I listen to music?”… “I stopped listening to music 17 years ago”.]
I started playing trumpet at 10 years of age… mid 1960s. Moved to trombone in high school, played in every possible thing I could, and taught myself piano and organ, upon which I gigged out as well. Went to college as a music major: music education & pipe organ and completed the long and arduous degree. Eventually supported my family by music teaching in the public schools and by being organist/choir-master in local churches.
In 2007, I simply had had enough. After forbearing the insidious and pervasive noise of the public school and our surrounding culture, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Noise, music, sound… all of it was like pepper-spray and broken glass shards blasting against my ears and mind.
For all intense purposes, I stopped listening to “music”… or at least what mostly passes for music in our culture. From that time until now, I have spent as much time as I possibly can in the deepest forests I can access easily… luckily we have many very fine state forests, game lands, and parks here. Or walking along the Susquehanna River. Or sitting on the back porch as night is falling with pipe in hand and a zen-like appreciation and “listening” to all the true “music” that hums along on its own. I totally grasp and appreciate what the ancients describe as the music or “harmony of the spheres”.
I have found flutes and recorders from various traditions very consonant with the life of the soul, so to speak. In Zen flute playing, and in and with the several Native American flutists I’ve found, there is the additional dimension where the music from these instruments arises from breathing, the rhythm of the breath, and the life-energy of the very act of breathing itself. And so many of these instruments are wood… natural, a gift of the forest, an extension and gift of the “trees of life” sort of thing.
And the natural heath burl filled with the glowing, smoldering embers of the magnificent herb tobacco, is a sacrament where the rising smoke and breaths of life merge and celebrate it all… in quiet, solitude, and the “silent” music of the universe and all vitality pulsing in, around, and through us.
I want to be able to enjoy regular music again, as it was life and breath to me for so long. But my 7th decade on this planet starts next spring. And my ears still hurt. And our constant, pounding, abrasive cultural noise is showing no sign of letting up any time soon.
The lovely and wonderful thing is, I’ve found the pipe to be a sweet accompaniment to soulful silence AND quality music of the audio variety!

I absolutely love music. I am currently 31 years of age, and I can confidently say I have been enjoying music for at least 27 of those years.
When I was younger I used to play guitar, piano, bass and trombone. But as I got into college, I lost interest in playing music, and just started enjoying it.
I fully agree that music can be found anywhere. A good friend of mine had a washing machine that put out a really cool afro beat rythem on the spin cycle. The spur of the moment drum circles, on floors / tables / pots, made for some timeless moments in my memory. The best part, it was always the new person to start, unknowingly of course, tapping in rythem with the washing machine. Then, anyone who had been in the apartment before would look at each other with excitement because we knew what was soon to follow!
Many people attribute the sense of smell to memories, we hear it all the time in the pipe world with comments referring to the aroma of our tobacco and a long lost relative. But to me, music is what truly triggers memories. I can remember situations based on the song that was coming from my Walkman / discman / iPod / smart phone (depending on the decade). Good and bad memories alike, they can be easiest remembered through reference to music. Who didn't have an athletic memory where you won a championship, and in the locker room you blast Queen's "We Are The Champions"?
Music festival have also been some of the most entertaining times of my life, the genuine intermingling of all walks of person can be breath taking. In fact, there have been many years where I was unable to find a friend to attend my favorite festival, so I had to go at it solo. Never once have I felt awkward or belittled by other festival goers. Quite the opposite actually, people are so warm and welcoming at these events, with minimal effort, you can make a new friend at every show.
Just my two cents on the topic.

One needs a good definition of music for this discussion.
The sound of a good steak sizzling on a grill can be music to my ears. A lot of what some consider music is simply noise to me. The "war pipes" make me want to march forward and enter the fray. Ulian pipes can make me cry. Native drums will drive me away. Dissonant, jarring notes do not attract my ear. Opera can be good or bad. The "Grand Old Opry" is mostly always good. I love the "big band" sound" and have no truck with most of what the last two or three generations enjoy with regard to "popular music."
If I was enjoying the silence and solitude of nature and someone was to start "toodling" on a flute . . . well that flute would probably soon be silenced so I could go back to enjoying nature. What is music to your ears may simply be intrusive noise to mine. Some love the hustle, bustle of the big city. Horns, sirens and the cacophony of voices is music to their ears. It is the music of life to them. Others simply want silence in their lives, no crowds, no human produced noise and their world is very satisfying.

One needs a good definition of music for this discussion.

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Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!
Definition is what kills music.

The sound of a good steak sizzling on a grill can be music to my ears.

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This is a perfect example of why you cannot define music.
Nonetheless, I fully agree that what some might consider music, other would hear noise. But that is what is so great about music, there is someone out there who thinks it is amazing!

I listen to music because I kind of have to, I don't think I live without music, I can do away with computers, tv, phones, etc... but I would always need to have music... if there is no source I'll make music, if I don't have a guitar I'll make one, i'll make a flute, I'll sing or whistle

Music is a way to express yourself, regardless if your producing it or listening to it... it help evoke emotion. it can help you deal with situations or things in life... it can cause happiness when your down or sadness when your up.
@northernniel ... yes you can define music without killing it, there is literally a definition for music... now I understand why you say that, because its usually the people that music is not a main part of their lives that try to define it and usually do a horrible job of doing it.
@Warren... one does NOT need a good definition of music for this discussion, hakchuma asked "why do you listen to music" not what do you believe is music. The literal definition of music is sounds or a sound that evoke emotion, if that sizzling steak is music for you, then why? that is the question.

I remember when I was learning to play the violin (one I made). The dog, on her back, eyes closed, howling along (or in agony). So funny....
But it was then that I had the fantasy that animals are amazed by us... we make music. We compose. We make sounds that take nature to a new level. And the animals must think we are gods.
... unless they hear me playing violin. And then they think I am ... something else.