“Defunded But Not Bach-ing Down!” So the new t-shirt declares.

With the massive cuts in federal programs impacting almost every aspect of the regional and national economy alike, the future of many of the nation’s most important health, food and housing programs are looking grim. On top of all that, programs that advance soft diplomacy worldwide and soothe the human soul, to help us all to keep affirming that life is worth living and fighting for justice and peace are at risk of being shut down too.

Not the least of these is the Washington, D.C. area’s only classical music station, WETA Classical, which hundreds of thousands of listeners rely on for their sanity, and an appreciation of the uplifting, universal values of beauty and creativity.

WETA, with its offices down the road in Shirlington, has been on the air 24-7 through the thick and thin over many years here, through the Great Recession and the Covid pandemic, with comforting voices spinning the hits, so to speak, from Handel, to Haydn, to Mozart to Beethoven, to Schubert, to Brahms, to Dvorak, Saint Saens, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and on and on and on and on.

Always strapped for funds, even with the almost 10 percent of them coming from the federal government, the station has famously carried out week-long fund raising drives from among its listeners twice a year, offering coffee mugs, umbrellas and CDs as thank you’s for the most modest to the most generous contributions. Listeners donate 20 to 25 percent of the budget to the station, but are being called upon to do even more now.

The most recent one, conducted earlier this month, offered a new gift, a t-shirt with the slogan, “Defunded and Not Bach-ing Down.” The defiant music-lovers slogan was chosen from among a set of options by listeners, and characterized the most recent drive. Many listeners, says Mary Stewart, station vice president for external affairs, including many first-time respondents, gave more than the usual in reaction to the Trump administration’s cutting off of federal dollars.

Many station supporters appreciate that WETA Classical is still playing its music as presented by live, on-the-air announcers, who routinely add a compassionate and caring tone to their work. It’s one thing to listen to a work on a CD or from and online streaming service, it’s another to hear it coming from a live person in the local area with local commentary.

Take the case of Nicole Lacroix, who has been with the station for over 30 years. Then there is John Banther, Linda Carducci, James Jacobs, Bill Bukowski, Rich Kleinfeldt, Evan Keely, Chip Brienza, and Marcus Pfeifer, household names for regular listeners, even though they’d never recognize them on the street.

For all the claims that classical music is passe, Classical WETA does very well, respectively, as the fifth or sixth most listened to station in the D.C. Metro area. “We have a strong and loyal audience,” Stewart tells the News-Press. But whether they open their pockets enough to overcome the loss of federal funds will be the challenge.

The station recently added a third streaming service to its offerings, in addition to WETA Classical (airing the radio broadcast) are Viva La Voce and now Virtuoso, done not in reaction to the federal cutbacks, but as more of an opportunity to spread the music that was months in the planning.

Still, the station has had to lay off five percent of its staff and folks hope there will be no more if the public steps up to help.

But many studies have shown the benefits of classical music, in particular, for enhancing brain function. According to the Musicnotes blog, the numerous benefits include the following:

Cognitive Enhancement: One well-recognized benefit of classical music and its effect on the brain is enhanced cognitive activity. Studies have led to the term “The Mozart Effect,” a relationship between classical music and better spatial-temporal reasoning. Years of research have revealed that classical music stimulates cognitive function, supports memory, increases attention span, and improves problem-solving. Processing classical music’s complex harmonies and structures gives the brain a workout, keeping it sharp. 

Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Escaping stress and calming anxiety is challenging in a world of digital alerts and never-ending tasks. Not only do these issues put you in a bad mood, but they also take a toll on your physical health. Anxiety and stress can lead to high blood pressure and other diseases. Research has shown that classical music may help lower stress, blood pressure, and heart rate. Classical music with slow tempos and soothing melodies had a more significant impact.

Sleep Quality Improvement: Another connection between classical music and the brain is the impact on sleep patterns. Quality sleep is critical to good mental health but challenging when distracted or stressed. Turning to classical music can help. Soft harmonies serve as a calming force that enables you to get to sleep faster and wake up less often. Because most classical music lacks lyrics, the listener doesn’t need to catch up in words and can drift off to peace more quickly.

Mood Elevation: Music is a great way to shake a bad mood, especially classical music. Following the instrumentation and emotions woven into classical compositions can be entertaining, sparking the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that can boost your mood. It’s not uncommon to feel joy while listening to the beauty inherent in the music.

Brain Plasticity Enhancement: The benefits of classical music and its effect on the brain won’t end when the song does. With regular listening, the stimulation from classical music can help form new connections in the brain. The brain’s ability to change, called neuroplasticity, allows you to increase your capacity to learn and remember new information. People of all ages can benefit from playing classical music, which can help with brain development in young children while supporting the cognitive health of older people.

Concentration and Attention Improvement: Distractions are at a peak today, with screens and gadgets everywhere. Many people are also constantly encouraged to switch between tasks, lessening their attention span and focus. The structure of classical music can enable the mind to concentrate, creating a better environment for sustained focus and attentiveness. It sets the stage for productivity, working, and accomplishing goals that require a careful approach.

Creativity Stimulation: It’s fun and fulfilling to create, but sometimes, you need help developing new ideas. The relationship between classical music and the brain can encourage free thought and emotional introspection. Classical music is about making intellect and emotion meet, which is a perfect breeding ground for creative thought. By analyzing classical compositions’ complexities and emotional stories, listeners can unlock new ways of thinking and foster innovation.

Then there is taking into account the role of music in society more generally. Recall that in The Republic, Plato outlined a detailed vision of an ideal society governed by reason and justice, and within this framework, he assigned a significant role to music in shaping moral character and maintaining social stability. Far from seeing music merely as entertainment, Plato regarded it as a powerful educational and ethical force, capable of influencing the soul and, by extension, the order of the state.

Plato’s concern with music extended beyond melody to include rhythm and harmony, both of which he believed could cultivate order in the soul. Music was to him a form of moral training, instilling virtues even before rational understanding developed. This educational role of music made it foundational to Plato. Music is not neutral; it is formative. Its proper use contributed to the education of virtuous citizens, he argued.