10 Titillating Classical Pieces + Shauna Mei Challenge Recap

November 17, 2011 | By Kimberlee

Did you make friends with Johann, Wolfgang and Ludwig? Shauna Mei, Spa Week’s Intellectual Wellbeing Expert and CEO of AHALife.com, challenged our readers (and the Spa Week team) to listen to classical music for two weeks. The plus side: increase your IQ a few points. In 1993, Nature magazine published a study that proved your IQ actually increases by listening to classical music, which is known as the “Mozart Effect.” So how did it go?

I’m not entirely sure how much smarter I am after this challenge (haven’t taken an IQ test) but I definitely felt less stressed starting my day, and as a New Yorker that is something I so appreciate. Rather than waking up to a high-pitched shrilling alarm noise, I was greeted by the sounds of violins and pianos. I must confess that I wasn’t a big fan of classical music before this challenge. I thought it was just music they played in fancy opera houses and elevators. However, I have a new lease on life (and music)! I won’t be lip syncing to these tunes in the shower but they will be waking me up from now on, as much as possible at least. When you feel like life is moving too fast or you don’t have a moment to yourself, put on some classical music and I swear you’ll find your peace by the end of one song. It also makes me feel quite sophisticated. Shauna is definitely onto something here.

You can expand your spatial-temporal reasoning long after this challenge with some of the greats.

10 Titillating Classical Pieces

First, here are Shauna’s top 4 picks:

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 – Andante

Vanessa Mae’s rendition of Toccata & Fugue (especially at 1:38 sec)

Chopin Fantasie Impromptu Op 66

And here are some I enjoyed listening to:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass In B Minor

Ludwig Van Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E flat major “Eroica”

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah

Johann Sebastian Bach Well-Tempered Clavier

Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida

Last but certainly not least, I’d like to announce the winners of the $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week (who shared their experiences on the event page):

Kimberly Y: “Each morning, I have faithfully listened to Bach and Mozart. I also enjoy the soundtrack to Memoirs of a Geish. The soundtrack is wonderful and very relaxing. I find myself breathing deeper and relaxing my shoulders when listening to classical music.”

Melissa C: “I have fulfilled my promise and have enjoyed it so much! A NEW RITUAL!!! I used to play the French Horn & was a music performance major but had health problems due to a car accident. I have been a licensed massage therapist for almost 14 years, & will be listening to more classical during treatments from now on.

Sincere thanks!!!!! ♥”

Congrats you two, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, and please contact michelle at spaweekmedia dot com within 3 business days to redeem your prize!

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Spa Week Daily Challenge: Classical Music Mornings with Shauna Mei

November 2, 2011 | By Michelle Joni

Say hello to Mozart, Beethoven and Bach: your new intellectual BFFs. For this next challenge, we’ve enlisted international tastemaker Shauna Mei, Spa Week’s Intellectual Wellbeing Expert, for a challenge to enhance your intelligence. As the CEO of booming luxury brand AHAlife.com, this entrepreneur knows a thing or two about smarts.

Are you ready for CHALLENGE #5?

Here’s what to do:
Pledge to listen to classical music every morning for two weeks.

When:
Friday, November 4 - Thursday, November 17

Why?

SHAUNA SAYS: Listening to classical music can increase your intelligence by improving your spatial-temporal reasoning. This is known as the Mozart Effect. In 1993, Nature magazine published a study that proved your IQ actually increases by listening to classical music. I recommend setting your alarm to classical music and turning it on as soon as you wake up and listen to it as you get ready in the morning. After three days, you’ll start to notice a difference!

Your intelligence and your brain power your creativity. It’s important to feed that for your well being so you can create your own reality!

What’s in it for me? (WIN!)

Besides getting smarter and enhancing your power to be creative with this fun morning ritual… join Shauna Mei’s Spa Week Daily Challenge Event on Facebook and share your success story or struggle. Once you RSVP and start sharing, you are automatically entered to win one of two $50 SpaWeek Gift Cards.

More on Shauna:

Shauna Mei is the founder and CEO of AHAlife.com, an innovative global lifestyle e-commerce media company. After attending MIT she began her career at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker, where she worked on several deals in the fashion media space, most notably the sale of Neiman Marcus Group. After leaving Goldman Sachs, Shauna co-founded Aronsson, Group a luxury fashion investment and advisory firm, with Jeffry Aronsson, where they invested in and advised brands such as Matthew Williamson and Mitsui. Shauna founded AHAlife.com in 2010 after realizing that many of the best products from all over the world were not easily accessible to consumers. AHAlife.com became an online platform blending commerce and content to discover and purchase the best unique products and ideas sourced from around the world. Addressing a variety of facets across one’s entire lifestyle – from fashion, accessories, home décor, food, and more – AHAlife.com has already garnered the support of tastemakers such as Deepak Chopra, Tim Gunn, Bobbi Brown, Daniel Boulud, Cynthia Rowley and Wendi Murdoch – all of whom have curated their favorite finds. This media-meets-commerce platform has fast become a go-to resource for those seeking exceptional content and exclusive products.