Aviana Smith, 2023 Innovation Award Finalist
Memorizing Large Texts Made Easy by Aviana Smith
Music student Aviana Smith developed a new memorization technique for individuals who need to memorize large texts, such as for operas or arias. This technique pairs the act of memorization with another activity that takes over the brain’s ability to focus. By doing this, the memorization process becomes automatic and requires minimal energy, making it a more efficient way to memorize large amounts of text.
In practice, individuals recite small chunks of text while doing another activity that requires focus, gradually working up to larger chunks of text until the entire aria is memorized. With this technique, Smith was able to memorize several arias in a single night.
This technique has proven successful not only for Smith, but for others who have tried it as well. By tricking the brain into thinking it is not working as hard, the memorization process becomes more relaxing. Furthermore, the automatic, long-term response that is developed allows for a quicker memorization speed, making Smith’s technique an excellent tool for anyone who needs to memorize large texts.