Now that we’ve come to our last civic issues blog for the semester I want to leave you with some concluding thoughts on why music education is so important (sorry if it gets repetitive!).

When a child is immersed in a music program, or any arts program, they do not just gain the skills of the art that they are practicing.  The skills they learn in these environments are able to help them in every aspect of their life throughout their entire lives.  And as a bonus, they learn how to express themselves through an art form that could be a real benefit later in life.  In the academic world, students who participate in music score an average of 22% better in English and 20% better in math on standardized tests than students who do not participate in music programs.  Schools with a music program have a higher attendance rate: 93.3% as opposed to 84.9%, and they have a higher graduation rate: 90.2% compared to 72.9%.  These benefits of the music program not only make the students better students, but they also create a better community.  With more students in school, that means there’s less time for them to get into trouble. Also, schools receives more funding for better test scores, which goes towards making a better education system for their community.

For students themselves, music helps them develop their intelligence as they get older.  For instance, musicians have been proven to have better verbal memories and an easier time processing language, which makes it easier for them to learn new languages. Studies have also shown that musical training is correlated with better general intelligence skills like literacy, verbal memory, visiospacial processing, mathematics, and IQ.

Additionally, participating in music programs gives students myriad life skills like knowing how to create healthy relationships and work with others.  In a music setting, kids are forced to work together no matter what situation they are in.  In an ensemble, you have to listen to what other people are playing so that you can match their style, dynamics, and articulation.  It sounds easy, but it’s harder to pay attention to others when you already have a million other musical things running through your mind.  Furthermore, students have to work on their relationships with the people they need to work with.  In many instances, there will be conflict with how students want something to be played, and they need to come to a compromise on what is the best way to do this.  As a result, students learn to listen to others and make the best decision for the group rather than just what they want.

In many band programs, but especially in marching band, students have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills as section leaders, drum majors, and officers.  They learn how to delegate to others while making sure that they don’t just dictate.  A major part is learning how to work together for the betterment of the organization as a whole as opposed to simply trying to do your best. Foremost, students learn that there is great gratification in working hard at something you love with people you (mostly) love. All of these relationship and hard working skills then transfer over into their homework throughout high school and college and even into the work place.

In addition to learning about the people they interact with, musicians also learn how to relate to people around the world.  Music is one of few disciplines that transfers between cultures and across language barriers.  No matter where you play music, it’s going to sound generally the same (if you don’t count differences depending on the performer(s)), and there is universal notation for music so everyone can understand it.  For kids who don’t get to travel or go experience new worlds much, especially when they’re young, music can be a great vehicle for exposing them to new people.

Finally, like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, music has an importance that is way beyond what people can measure with studies and experiments.  Music and music programs have a meaning to students that makes their school experience that much better.  Music provides a place for those students who wouldn’t fit in anywhere else.  It gives them meaning, friends, and something to work for.  When these kids play music together, yes they want to sound good, but it’s about the experience and how they feel when they play together.  There aren’t any statistics to prove it, but this meaning to music is way more important than all of the ways that music makes kids smarter, and that is why we should keep music education.

Fun Facts: A study has proven that the smartest section in the band is the trombones (Go Trombones!!!), and the second smartest section is the percussionists (who would’ve thought?)

The highest represented major in medical school is the music major.

Music education actually helps reduce the neurotransmitter that is produced when some is stressed.  This can be particularly helpful for kids in abusive family situations or harsh living conditions.

Sources:

Click to access benefits_of_music.pdf

http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/topteneveryone.html