TOP 10 REASONS YOUR CHILD SHOULD TAKE MUSIC LESSONS

Author: Christina Quiñones, Office Manager at Dallas Academy of Music & Performing Arts

With so many after school opportunities, it can be confusing trying to determine what will work best for your child. Here are the top 10 reasons why you should consider getting them involved in music lessons!

The Joy of Music Making

Put simply, playing music is fun! It’s the gift that keeps on giving! Even as students grow up, they can continue to play for their enjoyment. Einstein used to play violin to relax when he became stuck in his thought process – music helps clear the mind and calm the nerves!

Self – Discipline

Children learn how to structure their time at home to prepare for their weekly lessons. The simple use of a practice chart teaches children to set aside time for practicing and to track their progress towards a long-term goal. It is a very kid-friendly way of learning how to plan ahead.

Develops a Higher IQ

You are probably saying, “What? Really, music lessons can increase my child’s IQ?” Yes, there is evidence to suggest that on the whole music lessons improve general intelligence. A study by E. Glenn Schellenberg of the University of Toronto published in Psychological Science shows that a group of students that took music lessons improved their IQ scores more than a control group that took no music classes. MUSIC MAKES YOU SMARTER!

Work Ethic

As students learn a difficult piece of music to perform for a concert, competition or evaluation, they must work hard to memorize and to develop the fine motor skills necessary to be successful. This type of conscientiousness is highly correlated with success in school and life.

Reduces Stress

A short-term and long-term benefit, music has been shown to reduce stress by triggering biochemical stress reducers according to an article in U.S. Today. Music helps us to relax and forget about our troubles for awhile. The act of actually playing music accentuates these effects.

Higher SAT Scores

Students of the arts continue to outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT, according to reports by the College Entrance Examination Board. Data from the College Board, Profile of CollegeBound Seniors National Reports from 2011–2015 show that students who studied music/arts for four years score 10–12% higher than students who studied one-half year or less. In previous years, the results have been similar.

Improves Memory

According to Dr. Laurel Trainor, Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior at McMaster University, “Young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year, compared to children who do not receive musical training.”

Leadership

Research by Erika Skoe and Nina Kraus shows that music training in childhood positively changes to the anatomy and function of the brain and that these changes are carried into adulthood. Prior work linked music lessons to enhanced auditory brainstem encoding with heightened auditory perception, executive function, and auditory-based communication skills.

Long Term Positive Effects on the Brain

Many high achievers have studied music. Nearly 100% of past winners of the prestigious Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology (for high school students) play one or more musical instruments according to the American Chemical Society. And if this isn’t impressive enough, many of our memorable leaders have played instruments or sang including Neil Armstrong, First man on the moon, Baritone, Thomas Jefferson, Former U.S. President, Violin & Cello & Piano, Woodrow Wilson, Former U.S. President, Violin, Harry Truman, Former U.S. President, Piano, Condoleezza, U.S. National Security Advisor/Secretary of State, Piano, Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the telephone, Piano, Thomas Edison, Inventor, Piano, Albert Einstein, Nobel Prize Winner, Piano and Violin.

Builds Self Esteem

A study by Costa-Giomi published in the Psychology of Music investigated the effects of three years of piano instruction on children’s self-esteem. Children in the study were divided into two groups: piano instruction weekly for three years and no music instruction. Both groups had similar levels of self-esteem at the beginning of the study. The researcher found that the children who completed three years of piano instruction had a significant increase in self-esteem while the children who did not participate in piano instruction or dropped out of piano instruction did not have an increase in self-esteem.