Why Music?
I. Music is a Science.
II. Music is Mathematical.
III. Music is a Foreign Language.
IV. Music is History
V. Music is Physical Education.
VI. Music Develops Insight and Demands Research.
VII. Music is all these things, but most of all,
VIII. Music is Art.
That is why we teach music:
Not because we expect you to major in music…
Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life…
But so you will be human…
So you will recognize beauty…
So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world…
So you will have something to cling to…
So you will have more love, more compassion, more
Gentleness, more good –
In short, more LIFE.
~ author unknown
Philosophy
Every child has the ability to learn music, and through the efforts and commitment from the students and parents and with proper instruction from the teacher they can develop not only the skills needed to become proficient pianists but also to develop a lifelong love for music. Not every child will become a concert pianist, but research has shown that the study of music improves the quality of life in so many ways and in many different areas.
The Science of Music
Music is one of the few activities that involves using the whole brain. It is intrinsic to all cultures and has surprising benefits not only for learning language, improving memory and focusing attention, but also for physical coordination and development. Music reduces stress and relieves anxiety and depression.
Playing music has been found to increase the volume and activity in the brain’s corpus callosum — the bridge between the two hemispheres — allowing messages to get across the brain faster and through more diverse routes. This may allow musicians to solve problems more effectively and creatively, in both academic and social settings.
Educational benefits
Children with musical training do better in subjects like language, reading, and math and have better fine motor skills than their non-musical classmates. On the 2012 SAT, students who participated in music scored an average of 31 points above average in reading, 23 points above average in math, and 31 points above average in writing.
What happens if they quit after a few years? Was it time and money wasted? There’s evidence that a little bit of music training goes a long way. Just a half-hour music lesson increases blood flow in the left hemisphere of the brain. As little as four years of music lessons were found to improve certain brain functions, even when tested 40 years later! On a personal note, when my mother was nearing the end of her life with Alzheimer’s Disease, she was not able to communicate with us verbally because she couldn’t form words that were understandable. I would go to the facility she was in every week to attend church meetings with her. Remarkably, when the hymns were played, she became very alert and could sing the words to every hymn! That is the power of music.