Below, you will find the complete solutions for the chapter “A Friend Found in Music Class 9 NCERT Solution”.
Reflect and Respond
Q. I. Read the questions given below and share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
1. What kind of music do you prefer to listen to—vocal or instrumental?
2. Name your favourite musician(s).
3. Give reasons for your choice.
Answer: (These are subjective questions, so answers will vary. Here is a sample response)
I prefer listening to instrumental music, particularly when I am studying or trying to relax, as it helps me concentrate without the distraction of lyrics.
My favourite musician is A.R. Rahman.
I choose him because his music beautifully blends Indian classical sounds with modern electronic music, creating very soothing and uplifting melodies.
Check Your Understanding
Q. I. Read the poem again to complete the poet’s diary about her feelings on music. Fill in the blanks with words from the poem.
Answer:
Today, I’ve been thinking about how essential music is to me. It is like an ocean that calls me to its 1. shore. Music is the 2. rhythm that harmonises with my 3. core, moving me in ways I can’t explain. When I feel sad or upset about things, music is the 4. therapy that eases the ache. It is amazing how music has the power to lift my 5. spirits and give me strength to pull through difficult times. I know that it is the effect of music whenever I feel 6. cheerful. Music is the much 7. needed friend when there is no one to 8. care. Thank you, my dear music, for being my all-time comfort, dependable.
Q. II. Let us appreciate the poem.
1. The phrase ‘moves me’ in the line ‘That moves me to the core,’ is an example of ______
Answer: an idiom / figurative language (It means to deeply affect someone emotionally, rather than physically moving them).
2. The poet uses metaphors for music. List these metaphors and rewrite them as similes. For example, Music is as ______ as ______
Answer: * Metaphor: Music is the ocean. -> Simile: Music is as vast and deep as the ocean.
Metaphor: Music is the therapy. -> Simile: Music is as healing as therapy.
Metaphor: Music is the needed friend. -> Simile: Music is as comforting as a needed friend.
3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? What impact does it have?
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem is abcb in each stanza (e.g., ocean-a, shore-b, rhythm-c, core-b). This steady rhyme scheme gives the poem a musical, rhythmic flow, mirroring the very subject it describes—music!
4. What is the poet’s purpose in using the word ‘music’ repetitively?
Answer: The poet repeats the word “music” to emphasize its central importance in her life. It acts as a constant anchor, showing that music is the answer to almost every emotional state she experiences.
5. What is the message the poet wishes to convey through the poem?
Answer: The message is that music is a powerful, healing force. It acts as a loyal friend that can comfort us in sadness, elevate our joy, and give us the emotional strength to survive difficult times.
6. Identify the mood of the poem from the options given below.
(i) nostalgic
(ii) thoughtful
(iii) amused
(iv) playful
Answer: (ii) thoughtful
7. Give evidence from the poem to support that the speaker is the poet herself.
Answer: The repeated use of first-person pronouns like “I”, “me”, and “my” (e.g., “pulls me“, “I need when I feel blue”, “lifts my spirits”) proves that the speaker is expressing her own personal feelings.
Critical Reflection
Q. I. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Music is the therapy
I need when I feel blue.
Music lifts my spirits
To make sure I pull through.
(i) Complete the following sentence suitably.
The phrase ‘feel blue’ indicates ______
Answer: a feeling of sadness, depression, or emotional low.
(ii) Identify the line which shows music makes the poet happy.
Answer: “Music lifts my spirits”
(iii) What does the last line of the extract signify?
Answer: The last line, “To make sure I pull through,” signifies that music gives the poet the emotional strength and resilience required to survive or overcome difficult times.
(iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false. Music plays a vital role in the poet’s life.
Answer: True
(v) Select the central idea of the extract from the following options.
A. Music brings comfort during sadness.
B. Music is a necessity in times of happiness.
C. Music improves our ability to pull heavy loads.
D. Music is a source of knowledge and excitement.
Answer: A. Music brings comfort during sadness.
Q. II. Answer the following questions.
1. How is music able to move the poet ‘to the core’?
Answer: Music is able to move the poet to the core because its rhythms connect deeply with her inner emotions, resonating with her feelings in a way that touches her soul.
2. Why does the poet compare music to a ‘needed friend’?
Answer: The poet compares music to a needed friend because, just like a loyal friend, music is always there to offer comfort, support, and a sense of belonging, especially during lonely times when “no one seems to care”.
3. Explain the poet’s attitude towards music.
Answer: The poet has a reverent, grateful, and highly appreciative attitude towards music. She views it as a vital support system, a healer, and a constant companion in life.
4. Support the opinion that this poem has a universal appeal.
Answer: This poem has a universal appeal because almost everyone, regardless of age or culture, has experienced the emotional power of music. We all have songs we listen to when we are sad, happy, or need motivation, making the poet’s feelings highly relatable.
5. Compare your experience of music with the feelings expressed in the poem.
Answer: (Sample Answer) Just like the poet, I find music to be therapeutic. When I am stressed about exams, listening to calm instrumental music “lifts my spirits” and helps me focus, acting as a supportive friend just as the poem describes.
Vocabulary in Context
Q. I. Classify the words given in the box below as positive emotions and negative emotions.
(Box: feel blue, lifts my spirits, most cheerful)
Answer:
Positive emotions (happiness): lifts my spirits, most cheerful
Negative emotions (sadness): feel blue
Now, fill in the blanks by choosing the correct word from those given in the brackets.
The familiar tune stimulated a rush of nostalgia, transporting listeners back to cherished moments from their past. (nostalgia/elation)
The soulful ballad expressed the singer’s anguish, leaving the audience moved by the intensity of their emotions. (despondence/anguish)
The pianist played a soulful melody on the stage, creating an ambience of melancholy. (melancholy/despair)
The festive symphony filled the air with jubilant tones, lifting the spirits of everyone present on the joyous occasion. (jubilant/euphoric)
Q. III. Choose the correct meaning from the box given below for the underlined phrasal verbs in the following sentences.
Answer:
He’s planning to move out of his parents’ house next month.-> (v) to leave a place where one has been living
Our new neighbours moved in yesterday.-> (ii) to begin living in a new home or place
I’ve been in this job long enough—it’s time I moved on.-> (i) to start doing or discussing something new
Can you move over a bit so I can sit down?-> (vi) to shift position to make space for someone or something
The police officer told the crowd to move along.-> (iv) to go to a new position, especially in order to make room for other people (also implies to keep moving/not loiter)
The bus moved off as soon as all the passengers were seated.-> (iii) to start moving; to leave
Q. IV. Create phrasal verbs from the verbs ‘put’, ‘get’, ‘look’, ‘break’. Find the meanings of the phrasal verbs you create. Make sentences with the phrasal verbs.
Answer:
Put off (Meaning: to postpone or delay). Sentence: We had to put off the meeting because the principal was unavailable.
Get along (Meaning: to have a good, friendly relationship). Sentence: My brother and I get along very well.
Look forward to (Meaning: to eagerly anticipate something). Sentence: I look forward to visiting my grandparents during the summer holidays.
Break down (Meaning: to stop functioning, usually a machine or vehicle). Sentence: Our car decided to break down right in the middle of the highway.
Listen and Respond (Page 6)
Note: Since this is a pre-listening guessing task and the audio/transcript is not provided, here are the most logical inferred answers based on standard educational contexts!
Q. I. Before you listen, read the questions and guess the responses to the given questions.
How are the two speakers connected? -> (ii) teacher-student
Where is the conversation taking place? -> (i) music centre (or school reception)
Which musical instrument is the reason for the problem? -> (i) sitar (Hinted by the upcoming writing task!)
What is the problem being discussed? -> (i) inability to play the musical instrument
What has been the unsuccessful solution? -> (i) practising for longer hours
What is the final decision taken? -> (ii) pick a simpler instrument
Speaking Activity
Q. I. Work in groups of four and choose a role each. Use the cues given below to present a role play in the class.
(Roles: Music teacher, Student 1, Student 2, Parent)
Answer: (Sample Role Play Script)
Music Teacher: Hello everyone. I highly encourage both of you students to take up music classes this year. It improves concentration and is a wonderful way to express yourselves!
Student 2 (confused): I am a bit confused, sir. I really like music, but I am worried that practicing an instrument might take away too much time from my studies.
Student 1 (convinced): I disagree! I am convinced that taking this music class will be beneficial. If we make a proper schedule, we can easily manage our time between studying and practicing.
Parent (doubtful initially): I have to agree with Student 2. I am slightly doubtful about this. Board exams are approaching, and I don’t want music to become a distraction.
Music Teacher: I completely understand your concern. However, scientific studies show that learning music actually stimulates the brain and improves academic performance. We only require three hours of practice a week.
Parent (supportive): That makes sense. Hearing the benefits and knowing the time commitment is reasonable, I am supportive of this idea now. Let’s get them enrolled!
Writing Task
Q. I. Your school is organising a musical evening on 21 June, World Music Day. You are presenting a Sitar recital at the event. Draft an invitation letter requesting your grandparents to attend the event.
Answer:
12, Rosewood Apartments,
Koramangala, Bengaluru
21st May 2026
Dear Grandpa and Grandma,
I hope this letter finds you both in the best of health and high spirits. I am doing very well here and my studies are going nicely.
I am writing this letter to share some very exciting news with you. Our school is organising a grand Musical Evening to celebrate World Music Day on the 21st of June. I am thrilled to let you know that I have been selected to present a solo Sitar recital at the event! I have been practicing very hard for the past month, and I would love nothing more than to have you both in the audience to bless me.
The event will be held in our School Auditorium and will begin at 5:00 PM.
Please do come and stay with us for a few days. We will have a wonderful time together. Waiting eagerly to see you both!
Yours affectionately,
Anil
Learning Beyond the Text
Q. I. Find out how music is used as an alternative therapy in the present times.
Answer: Today, Music Therapy is a recognized clinical field. Therapists use music to help patients reduce stress, manage pain, and improve memory (especially in Alzheimer’s patients). Calming rhythms lower heart rates and anxiety, while playing instruments helps improve motor skills for patients recovering from strokes or injuries.
Q. II. Speak to your music teacher and find out about the origin of the seven swaras (notes) of Indian classical music.
Answer: The seven swaras—Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni—are said to originate from the sounds of nature and animals. For example:
Sa (Shadja) comes from the cry of the peacock.
Re (Rishabha) comes from the lowing of a bull.
Ga (Gandhara) comes from the bleat of a goat.
Ma (Madhyama) comes from the call of the heron/dove.
Pa (Panchama) comes from the song of the cuckoo (Koyal).
Dha (Dhaivata) comes from the neigh of a horse.
Ni (Nishada) comes from the trumpeting of an elephant.
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