Daily Bow: Power of Music Education

Yesterday we talked about how music is a universal right. Below are three more testaments to the power of music education.

On World Music Day, Anil Srinivasan argues music is more than an extra-curricular activity. It is the route to holistic child development…

…Einstein famously said that while calculus would have survived without either Newton or Leibniz, the world would not have been the same had Beethoven never lived. He remarked that Beethoven’s contribution to human intelligence is irreplaceable.

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The writer is a Chennai-based classical pianist and head of MusicUniv India, a music education venture.

In addition, research shows that:

• There are correlations between music training and reading, sequence learning, and the manipulation of information in both long-term and working memory. (“Learning, Arts and the Brain,” The Dana Foundation, 2008)
• Music enhances the process of learning and nourishes students’ integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities — factors that are shown to be the driving forces behind all other learning. (Konrad, R.R., “Empathy, Arts and Social Studies,” 2000)

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Finally, check out Nick Goumas Inspirational Band  teachers story (this story should be read by all aspiring music teachers):

Under Goumas’ direction, the Ledge Street band was the city’s first band attached to a specific elementary school instead of pulling students from several schools.

Many have long considered Ledge Street to be the city’s best elementary school band. That’s particularly impressive because as an inner-city school, Ledge Street draws students from among Nashua’s poorest neighborhoods…

“…Amongst many things, you have taught our children to appreciate the art of classical music. You have mesmerized them with your incredible talent and limitless passion a lesson and a gift that every student will carry with them for a lifetime. You have not only made these children better musicians, but better people.”

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