Music Education Matters
Music is a Powerful Tool in Education
Music education is vital to a well-rounded education. Strong music programs in schools help kids and their communities in real, substantial, and well-documented ways:
Music education develops better communication skills and cognitive skills useful in every part of the curriculum, which helps students find greater academic achievement.
Music education actively contributes to brain development, leading to greater success in developing cognitive reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
Music education has long-lasting effects on cognitive and neural function; learning to play music provides benefits for the long run, as we age, in the form of an added defense against memory loss, cognitive decline, and diminished ability to distinguish consonants and spoken words.
Music education is an effective treatment for autism. Autism can limit communication and social interaction. Singing songs or playing an instrument can help autistic children improve their language skills. Making music with a teacher or small group of students also gives them positive social experiences.
Music education teaches proper breathing techniques, which is critical to musical performance; similarly, accurate breathing eases the anguish of trauma, anxiety, and stress.
Music education, even if short, still has a significant impact later in life.
Don’t believe us? In the words of a professional:
Often, resources for music education–including the hiring of trained, specialized music educators, and band and stringed instruments–are cut or not available in elementary and secondary schools so that they could focus on math, science and English.
The irony is that music education–multiple years of high-quality instrumental learning and playing in a band or orchestra or singing in a choir at an advanced level–can be the very thing that improves all-around academic achievement and an ideal way to have students learn more holistically in schools.
Dr. Peter Gouzouasis, PhD. University of British Columbia
Sources
Music students do better in school than non-musical peers. University of British Columbia. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/525405
Why Music Is Essential in Elementary Schools. https://etfovoice.ca/feature/why-music-essential-elementary-schools
The Benefits of Music Education. https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/the-benefits-of-music-education.
How can integrating music into your classroom benefit student learning and development?
https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/voices-field/how-does-music-benefit-your-classroom-or-school-community-most
Study finds live classical music has huge emotional benefits for children. https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/children-emotional-impact-live-classical-music-study/
Children and Music: Benefits of Music in Child Development. https://www.brighthorizons.com/resources/Article/music-and-children-rhythm-meets-child-development
Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6956617/
The Importance of Music Education in Schools.
