What Are The Benefits Of Music Education?

Were any of you in your school band or chorus?  I had participated in both when I was in grade school and junior high.  I love music as I believe it soothes the soul.  I played the clarinet for six years and was in chorus for a year or two. 

I actually became a pretty good clarinet player and worked my way up to a first chair position in our band.  My mom started taking me to private lessons every Saturday, which really helped to improve my playing.  It also helped me to learn some discipline, which is something I think a lot of kids need more of these days.

I was also a pretty shy child and learning an instrument and performing in front of people was probably my first boost of self esteem.  Though I was terrified the first time I played in front of a crowd and tried to hide behind my music stand, it did get easier each time.  

There are numerous benefits for students who have music education, whether it be band, chorus or the performing arts.

• Studies have shown connections between musical training and higher scores in both reading and math.
• Playing music, especially duets and in small groups, teaches children how to work as part of a team, an important skill they will need in school and later at work. 
• Keeping up a steady practice schedule instills great discipline and work ethic in kids, teaching them to work hard and be patient.
• Musical training improves memory, language skills and listening skills. Studies have shown that this combination leads to improved ability to learn a second language. 
• Playing an instrument improves hand-eye coordination and nuanced muscle control, as musicians must make very precise gestures in order to play their instruments correctly. 
• Children who grow up around music show more advanced language development, even at 2 years old, than children who don’t.
• Studying music improves a child’s ability to understand spatial-temporal relationships, a skill which can help in fields ranging from math and engineering to architecture and gaming. 
• Learning music improves a child’s ability to focus, which can lead to better studying and higher test scores.
• Children who study and perform music gain confidence and learn to conquer stage fright.
• Education in music and the arts helps children learn to think about problems creatively, finding multiple solutions to problems.
• Recent studies have shown that students who studied music go on to achieve higher scores on average than students who did not study music.   
• Kids who study music and the arts are more likely to graduate from high school and are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
• Learning a musical instrument and performing improves a child’s self-esteem.  

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Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by Take Lessons.  All opinions are completely my own based on my experience.