benefits of music education essay

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The Importance of Music Education in Schools

• August 21, 2020

Home Educators Blog

The benefits of music education are immense and highly beneficial to students. Music positively impacts a child’s academic performance, assists in developing social skills, and provides an outlet for creativity that is crucial to a child’s development. Music education catapults a child’s learning to new heights, and because of this, it should always be considered a pivotal part of a child’s educational process .

Music Education and Its Impact on Student Learning

Music education improves and develops language skills in children. Music stimulates the brain, and with its varied sounds and lyrics, students are exposed to a large amount of vocabulary in a short amount of time. Music also provides exposure to other languages, which creates a foundation for the student’s ability to understand and communicate in a different language.

Music is a vehicle for excellent memory skills. Have you ever listened to a song for the first time in a long time and still remember the lyrics? Even individuals who are not musicians experience this phenomenon. Through catchy melodies and a variety of sounds, music has a way of “sticking” with us and is a powerful tool for learning when used appropriately — just think of singing the ‘A, B, Cs’ or ‘The State Capitols’ song.

On the flip side, students also increase their mental capabilities in multiple ways when participating in music education. As stated before, music fosters memorization skills. In addition to song lyrics, students must memorize all aspects of music when preparing for a performance. Students must recall rhythms, pitches, dynamics, and several other elements all at once. Students can then transfer those memory skills to the academic classroom and employ those skills in their studies.

Social Benefits of Music Education

The mental benefits of music education are extremely advantageous to students in schools; however, the social benefits are just as wonderful! Music education requires teamwork and collaboration . While playing instruments together, students develop listening skills. They must listen to others to better gage volume levels, the implementation of dynamics, and so much more. Teamwork and collaboration is also required when completing simple musical tasks such as rhythmic and melodic notation. Students quickly learn to value the opinions and ideas of others and how to efficiently combine those thoughts to complete the task at hand.

In addition to teamwork, music education creates long lasting friendships and relationships. Students involved in band or choir bond over their love and enjoyment of music. They share exciting moments together through music, help develop one another’s abilities, and become a support system for each other. This special bond also increases student engagement in school.

Music education allows students an opportunity to experience different cultures. In early music education, the use of songs and games from other countries is extremely prevalent. Students learn how other children play and compare that knowledge to their own lives. In addition, students develop an understanding of other cultures, which leads to a beautiful acceptance of others. Students realize that recognizing differences is good, and it creates a greater respect for others.

Other Benefits of Music Education

Music education promotes improved coordination, specifically hand-eye coordination. Musicians must multitask! They must do multiple things all at once, all of which improves coordination and further develops the brain. Student musicians must read music, interpret it, and physically initiate the music through the playing of their instrument. These steps are repeated continuously throughout any performance of a piece of music, and even the youngest of learners slowly develop their coordination skills through continued music practice.

Music education fosters greater work ethic and discipline in children. Students of music learn from an early age that hard work, determination, and a positive mindset are all you need to succeed, but with those characteristics, continual practice is required. Students learn that improving musical skills does not come easy, as it requires hours of study and practice. Through this, students gain a greater concept of work ethic and learn to discipline themselves to reach goals. Work ethic and discipline are huge factors of music education, and it is important to note that those life skills will positively impact a student when entering the work force, completing tasks, etc.

Because music education is an outlet for creativity, it can be a source of stress relief . Unfortunately, there are many stressors present for children at school and at home (pressure to pass the test, make the grade, make the team, exceed expectations, and so on). Music education allows students a chance to excel with fewer limits and greater possibilities. It also gives students something to look forward to during the school day (not that students do not look forward to math, science, etc.); thus, directly impacting student engagement in school. Music simply provides a different means of student expression, and there are fewer barriers to what students can do and explore. Students who are involved in music education generally have an overall increase in engagement and enjoyment in school.

The final benefit of music education may be one of the most important benefits. Music transcends the limits of language. Music has no language barrier. It is something that brings people together regardless of ethnicity or background. Music also transcends academic barriers as well. All learners can be successful in music. Sometimes, students who are not very inept academically soar in the arts! Students who cannot remember basic math skills can remember and employ the use of various rhythmic patterns effortlessly. Music literally becomes their best subject, and they shine in it! Through this, a student’s sense of self and his/her confidence is dramatically boosted. All children desire to be good at something and develop a sense of achievement for a job well done, and music education produces an outlet that is perfect for that.

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Student Opinion

Do We Need Better Music Education?

A guest essay argues that we are teaching music the wrong way. Do you agree?

By Jeremy Engle

Do you play any musical instrument — or have you ever? Do you think music should be an essential part of every child’s education?

In “ We’re Teaching Music to Kids All Wrong ,” Sammy Miller, a Grammy-nominated drummer and the founder of a music education company, writes:

Each fall, as school starts up again, music educators witness a familiar ritual: Eager first-time students squeak on a clarinet, suppress giggles at the noises coming from the tubas and zealously hit a bass drum a little too hard. It’s a moment characterized by excitement, enthusiasm and the anticipation of new beginnings — which is why it’s so disheartening to know that many of those kids will eventually quit their instruments. The fact that many children don’t stick with music is bad news not only for the state of self-expression and joy but also for education. Studies show that students who play an instrument do better in science, English and math and are more likely to want to attend college . They also may have less anxiety and be more conscientious — they are the kids you want your kids to be friends with. I have never met an adult who is expressly thankful to have quit music as a child, but I’ve met many who have regrets. So why haven’t we, as parents and educators, been better able to encourage our own kids to continue? In my 15 years as a musical educator, talking to countless teachers, I’ve learned one thing: There is no magical fix. Making music education more successful doesn’t need to involve expensive digital accessories or fancy educational platforms (and I say that as someone who developed an online educational platform). There’s no technological or financial program that will convert children into lifelong music lovers. Instead, we need to start by rethinking how we teach music from the ground up, both at home and in the classroom. The onus is on parents and educators to raise the next generation of lifelong musicians — not just for music’s sake, but to build richer, more vibrant inner personal lives for our children and a more beautiful and expressive world.

Mr. Miller urges parents and educators to take a new approach to musical education:

It’s often been repeated that “music is a language,” yet we’re reluctant to teach it that way. When we learn a language, we don’t simply memorize phrases or spend all day reading — we practice the language together, sharing, speaking, stumbling but ultimately finding ways to connect. This should happen in music class, too. Music should be a common pursuit: Ask any dad rock weekend band or church ensemble how it experiences music, and the performers are likely to tell you it’s not a chore but a way of building community. Most important, we need to let kids be terrible. In fact, we should encourage it. They’ll be plenty terrible on their own — at first. But too often kids associate music in school with a difficult undertaking they can’t hope to master, which leads them to give up. Music does not have to be, and in fact, shouldn’t be, about the pursuit of perfection. And the great musicians have plenty of lessons to teach students about the usefulness of failure.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

Do you play any musical instruments? If so, how did you learn? What role does music play in your life?

Mr. Miller writes that after great “excitement, enthusiasm and the anticipation,” many children eventually quit their instruments. What kind of musical education, in or out of school, have you had? How effective has it been?

If you are one of the many people described by Mr. Miller who have started an instrument but later quit, why did you give up? Do you think a different approach to musical education, like the kind described in the essay, might have helped you to stick with it?

While saying there is no “magical fix” for converting children into lifelong music lovers, Mr. Miller shares several recommendations for improving musical education, such as, letting kids to be terrible and make a lot of mistakes or encouraging students to write their own simple songs using a few chords. What do you think of his proposed approach? What other suggestions would you give to parents and educators who hope to spark a love of music in young people?

Mr. Miller writes that studies show that students who play an instrument do better in science, English and math, and may have less anxiety and be more conscientious. What benefits of music education have you seen or experienced? Do any of these benefits, or others not mentioned in the essay, come to mind when you think of the value of learning music?

Does reading Mr. Miller’s essay make you more excited about playing music? Why or why not? If you could learn to play any instrument (or one different from what you already play), what would it be? Why?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

17 Evidence-Based Benefits of Music Education

Music education can uncover hidden talents and lifelong passions, but did you know that music also boosts non-musical outcomes?

Scientific research is revealing surprising and positive effects reaped by young people who make, play, or listen to music.

From better grades in English, math, and history to improved emotional management and social skills, music education is proving to be an important ingredient in whole-person development.

Let’s dive in and examine the evidence.

Music education benefits [INFOGRAPHIC]

Examining the evidence.

These 17 compelling studies reveal how music positively impacts children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

1. Enhances vocabulary

Improving and increasing vocabulary by learning new words and their meanings can be a lifelong process, particularly in childhood, where vocabulary is constantly informed by the school, parents, books, television shows, and, of course, musical choices.

The learning process can certainly have its amusing (and embarrassing) moments for parents of verbose kids, but boosting vocabulary, and mastering its usage, is a life skill they’ll use time and again.

One 2009 study of second-grade students demonstrates a link between musical instruction and effective use of vocabulary and verbal sequencing.

Children were split into two groups, an experimental group that received three years of piano instruction, and a control group which received no musical instruction, whether scholastic or private.

At the end of the study, the experimental group scored significantly higher at vocabulary and verbal sequencing ability when tested. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Piro, J. M., & Ortiz, C. (2009). “The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students” Psychology of Music, 37(3), 325–347.

Source:   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735608097248

2. Supports cognitive function

Clear, effective thinking, quick recollection, and good decision-making are all related to healthy cognitive function, something that can be improved and developed through mental “exercise”.

Learning about and participating in musical education is linked to improvements in cognitive function, which is seriously beneficial to children’s developing brains.

An assessment of the relationship between cognitive development and structured musical education divided a group of over seventy 4 to 6-year-old children into subgroups in which approximately half the sample population participated in musical instruction.

Both before and after this participation, children were assessed via the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale.

After 30 weeks of 75-minute training sessions, music students scored higher on the SB Bead Memory subtest, correlating musical training with a boost in spatial-temporal reasoning ability. ( Source )

Key study/paper:   Bilhartz, T. D., Bruhn, R. A., & Olson, J. E. (1999). “ T he Effect of Early Music Training on Child Cognitive Development” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 20(4), 615–636.

Source:   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0193397399000337

3. Develops reading and writing ability

Reading and writing are foundational aspects of not only your child’s education but their life beyond it.

Good reading comprehension is a necessary requirement of many jobs, as is being able to write with clarity and technical correctness.

Though language and composition courses are traditionally thought of as places to increase these skills, music education also has the potential to improve kids’ ability to read and write.

A meta-analysis on the impact of music education on academic achievement addresses data sourced from the National Center for Educational Statistics, which reports that, within a sample population of over 13,000 high school sophomores, those who participated in music education demonstrated higher grades in English classes. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Donald A. Hodges & Debra S. O’Connell (2005). “ The Impact of Music Education on Academic Achievement ” The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Source:   http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.564.7004&rep=rep1&type=pdf/

4. Encourages self-esteem

Positive self-esteem is linked with happiness and success, and it begins in childhood. Children who don’t feel good about themselves can have trouble being assertive, making friends, and trying out new things they’re hesitant about.

When kids participate in empowering activities like music education, they often begin to feel better about themselves and their skills, backed by validating reassurance from peers, teachers, and parents.

In a study of 117 Montreal fourth-graders, no participants had received music instruction previously, all had a family income of under $40K a year, and none had a piano in their home.

These students were divided into two groups — an experimental group that would go on to receive weekly individual piano lessons for the next three years, and a control group that received no such instruction.

At the end of the three-year study, those who had participated in the experimental group scored consistently higher in the area of self-esteem than those who had not. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Costa-Giomi, E. (2004). “ Effects of Three Years of Piano Instruction on Children’s Academic Achievement, School Performance and Self-Esteem “. Psychology of Music, 32(2), 139–152.

Source:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0305735604041491

5. Increases verbal memory

Quick recollection of the spoken word is useful in various situations. It’s helpful when taking notes or with tests in class, makes social interactions more fluid, and, generally, helps us avoid the frustration of forgetfulness.

For kids whose brains are still developing, opportunities to improve memory should be encouraged. As it turns out, music education can play a vital role in boosting verbal recollection skills.

One study from the University of Hong Kong measured the long-term effects of instrumental training in childhood on verbal memory by dividing 60 female students into two groups.

One group of under 12-year-olds had trained for at least six years on a Western musical instrument, while the other had not.

Each subject was read a list of 16 words, repeated three times. Subjects were then asked to recall as many words as possible.

It was demonstrated that those in the group who had received musical training consistently remembered more words than their non-musical counterparts. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Chan, A. S., Ho, Y.-C., & Cheung, M.-C. (1998). “ Music training improves verbal memory ” Nature, 396(6707), 128–128.

Source:   https://www.nature.com/articles/24075?source=post_page/

6. Boosts IQ

IQ, or intelligence quotient, can be a rather controversial topic — as it isn’t, strictly speaking, a measure of exactly how intelligent a person is.

Rather, IQ is a measure of a person’s ability to use reasoning, logic, and provided data to correctly answer a question, make a prediction, or come to a conclusion.

A long-term positive association between private music instruction and a boosted IQ was demonstrated by one 2006 study, which assessed a group of 6 to 11-year-old children receiving music lessons.

In tests that measured these children against their non-musical peers, music lessons were shown to correlate with general and long-lasting improvement with both IQ and cognitive ability.

Interestingly, these tests showed that music lessons delivered the same results (re. IQ and cognitive ability) among all the young participants, despite their diverse, disparate backgrounds such as varied family income, parental education level, and other extracurricular activities. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Schellenberg, E. G. (2006). “Long-term positive associations between music lessons and IQ” Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(2), 457–468.

Source:  https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2006-06234-014

7. Develops empathy

The way children relate to their peers and interact socially is often informed by empathy, their ability to perceive, understand, and relate to emotional experiences had by others.

Using empathy consistently to moderate social behavior is a measure of maturity, and some childhood experiences can help foster such empathic feelings.

In a 1990 study assessing children with a mean age of 12 years, participants were divided into two groups. The first group was comprised of children who had received six or more years of piano or violin training prior to the study, while the second group was comprised of non-musical schoolchildren.

Each group was assessed using the Epstein Empathy Scale and Battle Self-Esteem Scale — the group which had received previous musical training scoring higher at both empathy and self-esteem than their non-musical peers. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Hietolahti-Ansten, M., & Kalliopuska, M. (1990). “Self-Esteem and Empathy among Children Actively Involved in Music” Perceptual and Motor Skills, 71, 1364–1366 .

Source:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1990.71.3f.1364

8. Raises math and history scores

While academic achievement and ability come naturally to some children, others have to work at it a bit harder.

Subjects like math and history, which rely heavily on recollection and critical thinking, can be especially problematic for some kids. As it turns out, time spent learning to play music can play a significant role in improving their grades in these subjects.

In Hodges and O’Connell’s 2005 meta-analysis of academic achievement related to music education, it was discovered that participation in music not only improved grades in English, but also in math, history, and science.

The meta-analysis also goes on to cite 14 studies in which music education is correlated with higher academic achievement scores. ( Source )

Source:   http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.564.7004&rep=rep1&type=pdf

9. Reduces aggressive behavior

Aggressive behavior in children is often as troubling to those kids themselves as it is to adults, as they may be struggling with feelings such as fear, sadness, or loss of control.

Addressing those feelings, and channeling them into learning and self-expression, can help to reduce the tension that leads to outbursts, tantrums, or physically aggressive behavior.

In one 2007 study, the effect of music education on childhood aggression was measured by dividing 48 participants into two groups.

One group of children participated in two weekly music education sessions of 50 minutes per session, while a second control group remained untreated.

After 15 weeks of music intervention, the treated group had significantly reduced aggressive behaviors and demonstrated improvement in self-esteem, while the control group demonstrated no change. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Choi, A.-N., Lee, M. S., & Lee, J.-S. (2010). “Group Music Intervention Reduces Aggression and Improves Self-Esteem in Children with Highly Aggressive Behavior: A Pilot Controlled Trial” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 7(2), 213–217 .

Source: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2010/465730/

10. Teaches planning ability

Effective planning skills require critical thinking and the use of logic, as they’re simply not inborn. Learning to plan well is a skill that requires education and life experience to develop, while some kids struggle to simply get from point A to point B.

Certain activities requiring cognitive skills, including music education, can help improve planning ability.

A longitudinal analysis of the executive functions of primary school children as they relate to experience in music education divided children into four groups.

Two groups participated in music education, one in visual arts, and one as a control group with no changes.

A range of neuropsychological tests administered after the exercise showed higher scores in inhibition, planning, and verbal intelligence in children in the music education group. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Jaschke, A. C., Honing, H., & Scherder, E. J. A. (2018). “Longitudinal Analysis of Music Education on Executive Functions in Primary School Children” Frontiers in Neuroscience, 12 .

Source:   https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2018.00103/full?_ga=2.63007279.122942088.1566086779-1196487477.1566086779

11. Encourages perseverance

The ability to persevere in the face of challenges and difficult situations is certainly a virtue, and it’s certainly one that’s earned through hard work and experience.

Engaging in artistic and musical training that demonstrates the reward of improvement for their efforts can play a major role in encouraging perseverance in children.

A 1992 study measuring the attention and perseverance behaviors of preschool children taking part in Suzuki violin lessons grouped 80 children between the ages of 3 and 5 into five subgroups. The first took individual violin lessons, and the second took individual and group lessons.

Two of the remaining groups engaged in other classes, while the final control group had no curriculum change.

Analyzed tapes of the lessons demonstrated that the first two groups both scored higher on attention tasks, while the group engaged in both individual and group violin lessons spent a great deal more time on the perseverance task, demonstrating the ability to persevere. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Scott, L. (1992). “Attention and Perseverance Behaviors of Preschool Children Enrolled in Suzuki Violin Lessons and Other Activities” Journal of Research in Music Education, 40(3), 225–235 .

Source:   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2307/3345684

12. Improves articulation

A well-rounded vocabulary helps children to become articulate speakers, but this is only one aspect of speaking well.

Using correct pitch and cadence is also important, as it helps to clearly convey what’s being said as well as the intended tone behind it, something with which children sometimes struggle.

In a longitudinal study of 32 children, it was demonstrated that a link between musical training and the brain plasticity that allows for pitch discrimination is likely to exist.

The children in the study, who had no previous musical training, were split into two groups; one group received painting training, while the other received musical training.

After six months of training, the children who’d studied music tested higher in reading ability and pitch-discrimination ability in speech. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Sylvain Moreno, Carlos Marques, Andreia Santos, Manuela Santos, São Luís Castro, Mireille Besson (2009). “Musical Training Influences Linguistic Abilities in 8-Year-Old Children: More Evidence for Brain Plasticity”. Cerebral Cortex, 19(3):712-713 .

Source:   https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/19/3/712/436400

13. Protects against dementia

Dementia and other cognitive impairments are devastating diagnoses to receive, but we now know that certain lifestyle factors can play a role in mitigating their likelihood of occurrence.

In addition to healthy physical activity, a good diet, and general awareness of existing health conditions, keeping the mind sharp through regular mental exercise is also a preventative measure.

As one fascinating study reveals, playing an instrument in childhood may well offer the mind that much-needed workout.

A 2014 study published in the International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease assessed 157 pairs of twins who had discordant diagnoses of cognitive impairment — meaning that one twin was diagnosed while the other was not.

Of those pairs, 27 were also discordant for playing an instrument in childhood, meaning that one twin was non-musical. Past training in a musical instrument correlated significantly with a lowered risk of dementia or cognitive impairment later in life. ( Source )

Key study/paper : Balbag, M. A., Pedersen, N. L., & Gatz, M. (2014). “Playing a Musical Instrument as a Protective Factor against Dementia and Cognitive Impairment: A Population-Based Twin Study” International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2014, 1–6.

Source:   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25544932

14. Facilitates anxiety management

Learning to regulate or tolerate extreme emotions can be troublesome for kids; not only are they still learning about the world, but their minds and brains are also developing — a necessary aspect of emotional resilience.

Managing such impulses, or dealing with feelings of anger or anxiety, can be made easier through learning to play a musical instrument, as one study notes.

A 2014 study on the correlation between playing musical instruments and cortical thickness maturation assessed 232 subjects between the ages of 6 and 18.

MRI brain scans were administered a total of three times, occurring at two-year intervals. It was determined that playing an instrument was indeed associated with faster maturation of cortical thickness, a part of the brain which is used in emotional and impulse regulation. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Hudziak, J. J., Albaugh, M. D., Ducharme, S., Karama, S., Spottswood, M., Crehan, E., … Botteron, K. N. (2014). “Cortical Thickness Maturation and Duration of Music Training: Health-Promoting Activities Shape Brain Development” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 53(11) .

Source:   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890856714005784

15. Boosts standardized test scores

Every year, the faithful #2 pencil gets trotted out for another go at standardized tests.

While a week spent with test booklets and tiny bubbles to fill in isn’t much fun for kids, in comparison with their regular education, these tests play an important role in helping to demonstrate whether teachers, schools, and districts are working effectively in measuring each child’s level of general competence.

Though some children find it difficult to study for these tests, instrumental music training can actually play an important role in boosting their results.

In a study that compared the Ohio Proficiency Test results of instrumental music students to those of their non-musical peers, a correlation between improved standardized test results and instrumental training was demonstrated.

Tests from fourth, sixth, and ninth graders were assessed, and instrumentally trained students scored significantly better than non-instrumental students in every subject, which included citizenship, science, reading, and math. These results held true across all grade levels. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Fitzpatrick, K. R. (2006). “The Effect of Instrumental Music Participation and Socioeconomic Status on Ohio Fourth-, Sixth-, and Ninth-Grade Proficiency Test Performance” Journal of Research in Music Education, 54(1), 73–84 .

Source:   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002242940605400106

16 Refines perceptual motor skills

Sensory play and motor skill development are tremendously important parts of early childhood education, and not without reason.

The combined use of the senses and motor skills is called perceptual motor skill, which, in turn, informs coordination, proprioception, athletic ability, and various other aspects of our physical lives.

One 1981 study divided a group of children between the ages of 4 and 6 into two groups; an experimental group, which received education in an integrated musical and physical education program, and a control group, which received education solely in movement exploration.

After 24 of these sessions, assessment of the groups revealed that those in the experimental group improved significantly in motor, auditory, and language areas of perceptual motor skill. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Brown, Judy, et al. “Effects of an Integrated Physical Education/Music Program in Changing Early Childhood Perceptual-Motor Performance” Perceptual and Motor Skills, vol. 53, no. 1, 1981, pp. 151–154.

Source:   https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1981.53.1.151

17. Creates happiness

Joy is an essential element of human existence, leading to feelings of natural fulfilment and acting as a motivator to push us forward.

There are numerous ways we all seek happiness, and everyone, particularly children, have a unique take on what makes us feel joyful.

Throughout history, music has been inextricably linked to expressions of emotion, and it’s certainly an equalizer in terms of creating happiness, as even science agrees.

A 2013 Canadian study that tested the association between self-directed music listening and global happiness recognized a link between adolescents listening to their chosen tunes and an increase in their feelings of happiness.

These results were measured against those who listened to music not of their own choosing, noting that an autonomous choice of music was more likely to reflect on one’s personal pleasure and experience, thus leading to feelings of joy. ( Source )

Key study/paper: Morinville, A., Miranda, D., & Gaudreau, P. (2013). “Music listening motivation is associated with global happiness in Canadian late adolescents”. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 7(4), 384–390.

Source: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-35731-001

Wrapping up

Whether it’s about boosting scholastic ability, improving social interactions, or simply providing joy, the essential role that musical education can play in our children’s lives cannot be overstated.

Studying and performing music in the classroom, at private lessons, or at home, has been proven to offer a wealth of benefits to our kids, inspiring a sense of pride and fostering motivation that can benefit them throughout their lifetime.

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At Education Through Music, we believe that every child, at every school, deserves access to high-quality music education. It is part of a well-rounded education , essential for students’ social and emotional well-being , and a critical tool for establishing equity and access .

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Music education is part of a well-rounded education for all children as understood and supported by federal and state policymakers.

Click here or scroll down to learn more about Well-Rounded Education.

Music education supports students’ social and emotional well-being.

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• According to the Every Student Succeeds Act, music is an essential component of a well-rounded education.
• 88% of families agree it is important that their child’s school has a music program. 
• Quality general music education has been linked with the development of self-control, planning, and verbal intelligence: the life skills students need to make decisions, focus, plan, problem-solve, and juggle multiple tasks. It also fosters a motivation to learn music. (from Longitudinal Analysis of Music Education on Executive Functions in Primary School Children )

“I don’t think education is complete without music.” – ETM Partner School Principal

“Without music, I feel a piece of me is missing.” – ETM Partner School Student

• 70% of parents whose children attend ETM partner schools agree that learning music helps their child’s social development.
• 85% of ensemble students say they have made at least one new friend through ensemble.
• 79% of students say their music teacher or ensemble director cares about them as a person.
• 72% of students say their music teacher or ensemble director is someone they can go to if they need help with something.

“Music does help me a lot, and it’s helped me get through some really difficult times.” – ETM Partner School Student

“It’s empowering. It gives you a strength that no other activity can give you.” – ETM Partner School Student

• 40% of students in new partner schools report they have never before had a general music class
• 79% of families say it would be difficult for them to pay for private music lessons without a school music program
• 85% of ETM partner public schools’ student population comes from low-income households

“I think the music program is just excellent. My child loves the music class she is in because she knows many schools don’t have music in their area.” – ETM Partner School Parent

“ETM offers schools in low-income neighborhoods the opportunity for a quality music education and instrumental program.” – ETM Partner School Principal

All data is from our 2018 Impact Report unless otherwise indicated.

• Our Mission

How Music Primes the Brain for Learning

To reap the benefits of music on learning, kids need consistent and abundant musical practice, according to the latest cognitive research.

Ten years ago, musician Angélica Durrell began teaching a small group of Connecticut high school students how to play different percussion instruments, including the charango and toyos —musical instruments native to Central and South America, where many of the students had recently immigrated from. They learned to play Pachelbel’s Canon and then moved on to master “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” the sixties doo-wop hit by The Shirelles, singing the lyrics in both English and Spanish.

Within a few years, the after-school music program—aimed at Latino students, many of whom were struggling academically—became renowned in the school district, recast from a “nice-to-have” extracurricular into a strategic tool for addressing some of the district’s persistent challenges. Durrell’s students, teachers and school leaders noticed, were attending school more consistently, their English was improving, and they seemed increasingly comfortable making friends.

Today, Durrell’s non-profit program Intempo serves more than 3,000 students each year in Stamford and Norwalk schools, underscoring music’s profound impact on learning from both a cognitive and a social and emotional learning (SEL) vantage point. “We went from approaching it from a music perspective,” Durrell says, “to approaching it from an immigrant inclusion, language acquisition, and grade-level reading-acquisition perspective.”

Consistent exposure to music, like learning to play a musical instrument, or taking voice lessons, strengthens a particular set of academic and social-emotional skills that are essential to learning. In ways that are unmatched by other pursuits, like athletics for instance, learning music powerfully reinforces language skills, builds and improves reading ability, and strengthens memory and attention, according to the latest research on the cognitive neuroscience of music.

Experts are hoping this body of evidence might alter the current state of music education in schools—which is extremely uneven and, in some places, downright nonexistent. In a 2014 survey from Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit advocacy organization, teachers reported that 1.3 million elementary students didn’t have music classes in their schools, and nearly 4 million didn’t have a visual arts class. More recently, data from the 2016 National Assessment of Educational Progress showed improvements in some areas, though arts participation and access varied greatly by region . For example, while 68 percent of eighth-graders had music class in 2016, students in the Northeast were twice as likely to attend music class compared with students in the South and the West, where only one-third of students had access to music classes.

Now, following months of pandemic-related learning disruptions, organizations that track arts education like the federally-funded Arts Education Partnership say it’s difficult to even get a handle on who’s learning music at school.

The Cognitive Benefits of Music

The key to understanding music’s advantages, researchers say, lies in how the brain processes sound, the raw material of music, language, and—perhaps counterintuitively—learning to read. The sounds that come in through our ears travel along an anatomically complex “auditory pathway” that’s deeply connected to parts of the brain that determine how humans move, how we think and speak, what we know, and what we pay attention to. “The hearing brain is vast,” explains neuroscientist Nina Kraus, author of the new book  Of Sound Mind , in an interview with Edutopia . “People think of the hearing brain as being a silo within the brain. In fact, our hearing engages our cognitive, sensory, motor, and reward systems. That’s huge. From an evolutionary perspective, being able to make sense of sound is ancient and has engaged all these different perspectives.”

What makes music learning so powerful is how it engages all those different systems in a single activity. To play the violin, for example, a student needs to coordinate their motor, cognitive, and sensory systems to be able to put their fingers on the correct strings and move the bow at the right time; to read musical notes on a sheet of music and know what sounds they represent; and to hear if the pitches and rhythms are correct and coordinating with other players at the right time. Then there’s how the sound of music makes the student feel, which lights up the brain’s reward system. Engaging all these different systems makes learning how to play music one of the richest and deepest brain activities that humans perform. “Teachers resoundingly tell me that children who play music also do better in school,” Kraus writes. Young musicians also tend to have stronger language and reading skills than non-musicians because their brains have spent more time actively “engaging with sound.”

The type of instrument doesn’t matter: flute, violin, accordion, piano, voice—even abundant exposure to music can make an impact. “What is important is that engaging with sound changes and strengthens how the brain responds to sound,” Kraus says.

Music as Academic Strength Training

At Durban Avenue School in Sussex County, New Jersey, music teacher Shawna Longo calls out a particular rhythm, and then her kindergarteners play it on their Boomwhackers , tuned percussion tubes that come in different sizes and colors to symbolize different pitches. “Now only the red ones! Do ‘I like pepperoni pizza,’” she calls out, and the children play ta-ta-tee-tee-tee-tee-ta-ta. “They can only play when I hold up their color,” she says. “They have to learn when to wait, and when to play.”

The ability to keep a steady beat and anticipate the next beat, research has shown , are reliable indicators that a child is ready to learn to read. But keeping rhythm isn’t the only musical skill that paves the way for language development and reading, notes education researcher Anita Collins in her new book, The Music Advantage .

Learning to read music—decoding musical notation and connecting it to sounds—activates the same “phonological loop” in the brain as when kids learn to read words, deepening sound-word connections. Collins describes the process in her book:

• The eye sees a symbol on the page, whether it’s an eighth note D or a letter t at the start of a word

• The brain hears the sound, pulling it from the memory of music and speech sounds all brains possess

• The brain instructs the body to make that sound, whether it’s hands playing an instrument or the mouth shaped to make the t sound

• The brain listens to be sure the correct sound was made, and then makes adjustments

(From page 54 of The Music Advantage )

Processing sound strengthens the same areas of the brain that are responsible for learning language and learning to read—and while neuroscientists are still teasing out the how and the why, Collins writes that the latest research indicates that “music and reading may well be complementary learning activities,” with music functioning as a robust tool to improve language learning.

The Sound of Social Cohesion

When Covid-19 lockdowns first spread across the globe in March 2020, multiple videos showed people in Italy singing together from their balconies. At a time of extreme stress and isolation, Italians turned to music to connect with their neighbors.

Music and song are among the most basic ways humans have connected with one another for thousands of years. “Music lives in the oldest part of our brain,” Collins tells  Edutopia . “Music and song are at least as old as language and the spoken word.”

In a landmark 2018 study , researchers from the University of Toronto found that an adult singing and moving to a musical beat with a one-year-old child in tow increased social cohesion: the child was more likely to help when the adult later “accidentally” dropped an item. The study has been replicated many times, Collins writes, and shows how music taps into a primal bond that may encourage prosocial behavior like empathy and helping—the very behaviors that adults want children to develop as they grow, and behaviors schools strive to teach using the tenets of social and emotional learning.

When students belt out the school song at basketball games, or sing the clean-up song in kindergarten, it’s a potent practice for strengthening basic human social bonds. “Singing is a very powerful tool to make children feel in community,” says Kelly Green, vice president of education at Kindermusik, which creates research-based music curriculum for early childhood learners. “It’s deep SEL.”

Like Italy’s balcony singers during lockdown, social singing and music-making might be especially helpful to students now, when loneliness, anxiety, and depression are skyrocketing among young people. But Green says that kids in school sing a lot less than they used to. We tend to think “that learning music is only to develop as a musician,” Collins remarks. “People don’t feel confident to sing anymore. The fear that sits under ‘I can’t sing, I’m not musical’ is incredibly deep. When I start singing with students, they often realize singing is just a practiced skill. All these things start happening. They feel this sense of euphoria.”

Kids Benefit From Deep and Consistent Engagement

Facing limited budgets, increased academic expectations and testing , and a music teacher shortage , some schools and districts are increasingly looking to nonprofit organizations and community partners for help. Groups like Save the Music Foundation provide grants for schools to purchase student instruments and provide teacher training. The Harmony Project brings intensive music training and support to underserved students in the Los Angeles area. The Soulsville Charter School, a music-influenced middle and high school in Memphis, Tennessee, taps into the birthplace of American soul music and legendary Stax Records with the support of the Soulsville Foundation .

“You have to be willing to say, ‘We can’t do this alone,’” says Tamu Lucero, superintendent of Stamford Public Schools, where Durrell’s Intempo program is now a critical component of the district’s new-arrivals program. Even though Stamford schools already offered regular music programming, Lucero says, “we were willing to be open to the idea of how we could use an outside partner to enrich the learning environment for students.”

Researchers will continue to untangle some of the reasons behind why music learning is so beneficial to students—but know enough to conclude that listening to music or writing a song for a class project only begins to scratch the surface. To get maximal brain benefits, students should actively engage with music by learning to play an instrument or studying voice, preferably in a group setting. The evidence is strong enough to recommend music education as a discrete class for all kids—and across the grade levels—as a critically important investment.

Or as Nina Kraus states, “Music should be a part of every child’s education. Period.”

The Importance of Music Education

What if there was one activity that could benefit every student in every school across the nation? An activity that could improve grades and scores on standardized testing? An activity that would allow students to form lasting friendships? An activity that would help students become more disciplined and confident?

Fortunately, there is such an activity. Unfortunately, many schools will not make it a part of their curriculum, due to issues of funding and scheduling. This activity is something that everyone is aware of, but not everyone has a chance to participate in. This activity is music.

For years, music classes have been the ugly ducklings of school curriculums—the last courses to be added, the first courses to be cut. They have always taken second place to traditional academic classes. Music, however, has proved itself to be extremely beneficial time and time again, from the undeniable improvement in grades regarding traditional academic classes to the glowing remarks from music students everywhere. In an ever-changing world, the addition of music education in schools needs to be next on the academic agenda.  Music education should be a required component in all schools due to the proven academic, social, and personal benefits that it provides.

According to the No Child Left Behind Act, the following are defined as, “core academic subjects”: English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, the arts [emphasis added], history, and geography ( Benefits of the Study 1). Although music, being a part of the arts, is supposedly on the same level as other academic subjects, it is not being treated as such.

Music education greatly enhances students’ understanding and achievement in non-musical subjects. For example, a ten-year study, which tracked over 25,000 middle and high school students, showed that students in music classes receive higher scores on standardized tests than students with little to no musical involvement. The musical students scored, on average, sixty-three points higher on the verbal section and forty-four points higher on the math sections of the SATs than non-music students (Judson). When applying to colleges, these points could be the difference between an acceptance letter and a rejection letter.

Furthermore, certain areas of musical training are tied to specific areas of academics; this concept is called transfer. According to Susan Hallam, “Transfer between tasks is a function of the degree to which the tasks share cognitive processes” (5-6). To put this simply, the more related two subjects are, the more transfer will ensue. This can be evidenced with the correlation between rhythm instruction and spatial-temporal reasoning, which is integral in the acquisition of important math skills. The transfer can be explained by the fact that rhythm training emphasizes proportions, patterns, fractions, and ratios, which are expressed as mathematical relations (Judson). Transfer can be seen in other academic subjects as well. For example, in a 2000 study of 162 sixth graders, Ron Butzlaff concluded that students with two or three years of instrumental music experience had significantly better results on the Stanford Achievement Test (a verbal and reading skills test) than their non-musical counterparts (qtd. in Judson). This experiment demonstrates that music can affect improvement in many different academic subjects. All in all, it can be shown that music education is a worthwhile investment for improving students’ understanding and achievement in academic subjects.

Related to academic achievement is success in the workforce. The Backstreet Boys state that, “Practicing music reinforces teamwork, communication skills, self-discipline, and creativity” ( Why Music? ). These qualities are all highly sought out in the workplace. Creativity, for example, is, “one of the top-five skills important for success in the workforce,” according to Lichtenberg, Woock, and Wright (Arts Education Partnership 5). Participation in music enhances a student’s creativeness. Willie Jolley, a world-class professional speaker, states that his experience with musical improvisation has benefited him greatly regarding business. Because situations do not always go as planned, one has to improvise, and come up with new strategies (Thiers, et. al). This type of situation can happen in any job; and when it does, creativity is key. Similarly, music strengthens a person’s perseverance and self-esteem—both qualities that are essential in having a successful career (Arts Education Partnership 5). Thus, music education can contribute to students’ future careers and occupational endeavors.

Participation in music also boasts social benefits for students. Music is a way to make friends. Dimitra Kokotsaki and Susan Hallam completed a study dealing with the perceived benefits of music; in their findings they wrote, “Participating in ensembles was also perceived as an opportunity to socialize with like-minded people, make new friends and meet interesting people, who without the musical engagement they would not have had the opportunity to meet” (11). Every time a student is involved in music, they have the chance to meet new people, and form lasting friendships.

Likewise, in a study by Columbia University, it was revealed that students who participate in the arts are often more cooperative with teachers and peers, have more self-confidence, and are better able to express themselves (Judson). Through one activity, a student can reap all of these benefits, as well as numerous others. Moreover, the social benefits of music education can continue throughout a student’s life in ways one would never suspect. An example of this would be that “students who participate in school band or orchestra have the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any other group in our society” (Judson). By just participating in a fun school activity, students can change their lives for the better. Music education can help students on their journey to success.

Chinese philosopher Confucius once stated, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without” (Arts Education Partnership 1). Music education provides personal benefits to students that enrich their lives. In the study of perceived benefits of music by Dimitra Kokotsaki and Susan Hallam, it was found that “participating in an ensemble enhanced feelings of self-achievement for the study’s participants, assisted individuals in overcoming challenges, built self-confidence, and raised determination to make more effort to meet group expectations regarding standards of playing” (12). In an ensemble, every member is equally important, from the first chair to the last chair. Thus every person must be able to play all of their music and be ready for anything. When one person does not practice their music and comes to rehearsal unprepared, it reflects upon the whole ensemble. Needless to say, no one wants to be that person. So students take it upon themselves to show that they want to be there and come prepared. This type of attitude continues throughout students’ lives.

Furthermore, group participation in music activities can assist in the development of leadership skills (Kokotsaki and Hallam 13). One participant in the perceived benefits of music study stated that, “I have gained confidence in my leadership skills through conducting the Concert Band” (Kokotsaki and Hallam 28). Conducting an ensemble is just one of the many leadership opportunities available to music students.

Music can also be a comforting activity to many students. High school senior and school band member Manna Varghese states that for her, music is a way to relieve stress. When she is angry or frustrated, she likes to play flute or piano to relax. For students, music classes are not necessarily something they participate in for a grade, or to put on a college application. Students participate in music classes because they enjoy them and want to be there.

Even though it has been proven that music education benefits students, many people argue that it still should not be required in schools. They state that with the increasing importance placed on standardized testing, there is not enough class time to include music classes (Abril and Gault 68). However, it has been shown that the time students spend in music classes does not hinder their academic success. A study by Hodges and O’Connell found that “being excused from non-musical classes to attend instrumental lessons does not adversely affect academic performance” (Hallam 14). Thus, in reality, having students enroll in music classes would not be detrimental to their academic performance, and the students would then be able to reap all of the benefits that come with music education. Furthermore, funding for music education is an issue at many schools. The people in charge of determining funding for schools often choose to fund traditional academic classes over arts programs. Paul Harvey states, “Presently, we are spending twenty-nine times more on science than on the arts, and the result so far is worldwide intellectual embarrassment” (Hale 8). Clearly, the current system for the allocation of funds for schools is not adequate. By transferring some of the funding from traditional academic classes to music classes, this embarrassment could be avoided. Evidently, although some may try to argue against it, music education should be required in all schools.

What would life be like without music? Imagine it for a moment. No listening to music on the radio on a long drive. No music to dance to. There would not be any soundtracks in movies, and concerts and musicals would be nonexistent. Eventually, no one would even remember what music is. Many people do not realize it, but music has a bigger effect on their lives than they may think, and they would definitely care if it was to disappear. Without music, life would never be the same. To keep music alive, students must be educated about it in schools. Students will not only get to experience and enjoy what music has to offer, but will reap the innumerable benefits that come with music. Ancient Greek philosopher and teacher Plato said it best: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to imagination, and life to everything.”

Works Consulted

Abril, Carlos A., and Brent M. Gault. “The State of Music in Secondary Schools: The Principal’s Perspective.” Journal of Research in Music Education 56.1 (2008): 68-81. JSTOR . Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Arts Education Partnership, comp. Music Matters: How Music Education Helps Students Learn, Achieve, and Succeed . Washington D.C.: n.p., 2011. Print.

Hale, Donna Sizemore. “Stay Involved to Protect the Arts.” American String Teacher 63.3 (2013): 8. ProQuest . Web. 19 Oct. 2013.

Hallam, Susan. “The power of music: its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people.” International Journal of Music Education 28.3 (2010): 269-89. Print.

Judson, Ellen. “The Importance of Music.” Music Empowers Foundation . N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.

Kokotsaki, Dimitra, and Susan Hallam. “Higher Education music students’ perceptions of the benefits of participative music making.” Music Education Research 9.1 (2007): n. pag. Google Scholar . Web. 26 Oct. 2013.

National Association for Music Education, comp. The Benefits of the Study of Music . N.p.: n.p., 2007. Print.

Thiers, Genevieve, et al. “Music Education and Success…From the Band Room to the Board Room.” Everything We Needed to Know About Business, We Learned Playing Music . By Craig M. Cortello. N.p.: n.p., n.d. NME.com . Web. 18 Oct. 2013.

Varghese, Manna. Personal interview. 24 Oct. 2013.

Why Music? Prod. NAfME. Radio

How Children Benefit from Music Education in Schools

In this article:.

How Children Benefit from Music Education In Schools

Educational benefits/facts:.

• Children who study music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons (Arete Music Academy. "Statistical benefits of music in education." Arete Music Academy. Accessed July 17, 2014).
• Regardless of socioeconomic status or school district, students (3rd graders) who participate in high-quality music programs score higher on reading and spelling tests (Hille, Katrin, et al. "Associations between music education, intelligence, and spelling ability in elementary school." Adv Cogn Psychol 7, 2011: 1–6. Web. Accessed February 24, 2015).
• Schools that have music programs have an attendance rate of 93.3% compared to 84.9% in schools without music programs (The National Association for Music Education. "Music Makes the Grade." The National Association for Music Education. Accessed February 24, 2015).
• Students in high-quality school music education programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of community (Nature Neuroscience, April 2007).
• Students in all regions with lower-quality instrumental programs scored higher in English and mathematics than students who had no music at all (Journal for Research in Music Education, June 2007; Dr. Christopher Johnson, Jenny Memmott).
• Students at schools with excellent music programs had higher English test scores across the country thanstudents in schools with low-quality music programs; this was also true when considering mathematics (Journal for Research in Music Education, June 2007; Dr. Christopher Johnson, Jenny Memmott).
• Students in top-quality instrumental programs scored 17% higher in mathematics than children in schools without a music program, and 33% higher in mathematics than students in a deficient choral program (Journal for Research in Music Education, June 2007; Dr. Christopher Johnson, Jenny Memmott).
• Students in top-quality instrumental programs scored 19% higher in English than students in schools without a music program, and 32% higher in English than students in a deficient choral program (Journal for Research in Music Education, June 2007; Dr. Christopher Johnson, Jenny Memmott).
• Substantial majorities of both teachers and  parents view student access to music and  arts education as “extremely” or “very” important ( NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015.  Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in  the United States: 2015).
• Both parents and teachers have high  standards and expectations for quality  music programs, especially the importance of competent, certified teachers ( NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015.  Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in  the United States: 2015). ​
• On average, students have had only  about three years of in-school music  education, according to parents; more  than a third have had one year or less,  with one in six of all students having had no music instruction at all ( NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015.  Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in  the United States: 2015).
• Substantial majorities of both parents  and teachers want to see the scope  of elementary school music education expanded (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Substantial majorities of teachers and  parents believe budget cuts in music  programs hurt students and that music  is not as adequately funded as other  core subjects. Most teachers and  parents rate the funding for their own  school’s music program as average or worse (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Asked about 15 possible ways to cut  school budgets, both teachers and parents  are more willing to make cuts in 12  of the 14 other curricular, administrative  and service areas than cut music and  arts education. Only the number and salaries of teachers are more sacrosanct (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• More than 80 percent of teachers, and  nearly as many parents, say that the time  allotted to music education—adequate  rehearsal time, class duration and class  frequency— is important for a quality music education program (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Eight in 10 teachers and more than seven in 10  parents believe the number of minutes of  music education required every week is an important quality component (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• The number and quality of musical instruments,  along with materials, are high  on parents’ lists of “must haves” for a  quality program. But many teachers report that these essentials are in short supply (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Fewer than half of teachers (42 percent)  and parents (46 percent) say their schools  have the musical instruments they need for all students who want to learn to play (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Just 41 percent of teachers and 46 percent  of parents say their schools have enough sheet music for every participating child (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Teachers in urban schools are more likely  to consider music and arts education as  core to the curriculum (38 percent) and  value access to it (81 percent), compared  to teachers in rural areas (30 percent of  whom consider music and arts education  as core to the curriculum and 70 percent of whom value access to it) (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Urban  teachers also believe more strongly that  music education can build 21st century  skills, such as communication, critical  thinking, problem-solving and innovation skills (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• African-American parents (76 percent)  and Hispanic parents (75 percent) are  significantly more likely than Caucasian  parents (67 percent) to enroll their  children in school music classes where  opportunities exist, and they are more  interested in their children participating in  virtually every type of music class in or out of school (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• African-American and Hispanic  parents generally believe more strongly  in a wide array of potential benefits from  music education, are more likely to have  seen these positive impacts on their own  child and more strongly support expanding  music education programs. Ironically,  these parents also are more likely to report  that there are no music programs in their  schools (21 percent of African-American  parents and 22 percent of Hispanic parents report this, compared to 15 percent of Caucasian parents)(NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Students in the West are  more likely to have school music programs  that take place only outside of school  hours—and they have access to fewer types of programs as well (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• It’s  striking  that both teachers (87 percent) and parents  (79 percent) strongly believe music  education has a positive impact on overall academic performance (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• More than eight  in 10 teachers  (83 percent) and  more than seven  in 10 parents  (73 percent) say  budget cuts in  music education  are detrimental to students (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• On average, both teachers and  parents would be more willing  to cut spending in 12 of  15  other programs before they’d cut funding for music and arts education (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Teachers in Title I schools are more likely to report  that their schools have no music program  at all. In Title I schools that do offer music  programs, teacher responses suggest that  they have fewer full-time music teachers—  and teachers in these schools are more  likely to report there are no professional  development opportunities for the music teachers they do have (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Federal education policy specifically  authorizes the use Title I funds for music  and arts education. But few teachers—  even the majority who know what Title I  is—are aware of this significant opportunity  to provide or improve music programs  in the country. Even fewer parents are  familiar with Title I, let alone the fact that Title I funds can be used for music education (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• The College Board identifies the arts as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college (Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do, 1983 [still in use], The College Board, New York).
• Nine in ten adults believe students benefit from having music included in their curriculum (89 percent) ("Public Schools are Improving Their Grades, but Private Schools Remain at the Head of the Class," Harris Poll, September 29, 2015).
• Research at McGill University in Montreal, Canada showed that grade-school kids who took music lessons scored higher on tests of general and spatial cognitive development, the abilities that form the basis for performance in math and engineering (http://nisom.com/index.php/instruction/health-benefits).
• A study of 8 to 11-year-olds found that, those who had extra-curricular music classes, developed higher verbal IQ, and visual abilities, in comparison to those with no musical training ( Forgeard et al., "Practicing a Musical Instrument in Childhood is Associated with Enhanced Verbal Ability and Nonverbal Reasoning," PLOS One, 2008).
• A study of almost one thousand Finnish pupils who took part in extended music classes, found they reported higher satisfaction at school in almost every area, even those not related to the music classes themselves (Eerola & Eerola, "Extended music education enhances the quality of school life," Music Education Research, 2013).
• A 2012 U.S. Department of Education report that compared surveys from 1999-2000 and 2009-2010 found that music was offered in 94 percent of elementary schools during both timeframes, and that visual art offerings dropped only slightly, from 87 percent of schools in 2000 to 82 in 2010 (Jessica Siegel, "Amid Tests and Tight Budgets, Schools Find Room for Arts," CityLimits.Org, June 7, 2013).
• Learning a musical language could have cognitive benefits similar to those evident in bilingual children.  Although this view has intuitive appeal because music and language are both auditory communication systems, the positive effects of bilingualism are evident for fluid intelligence (i.e., executive control) but not for crystallized intelligence (e.g., knowledge acquired through experience, such as vocabulary), whereas the effects of music lessons appear to extend to both domains (E. Glenn Schellenberg, "Music and Cognitive Abilities," Current Directions in Psychological Science Journal, Vol. 14, No. 6, December 2005).

Cognitive Benefits/Facts:

• Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory (Strait, D.L. and N. Kraus, Biological impact of auditory expertise across the life span: musicians as a model of auditory learning. Hearing Research, 2013.)
• Music training in childhood “fundamentally alters the nervous system such that neural changes persist in adulthood after auditory training has ceased" (Skoe, E. & N. Kraus.  2012.  A little goes a long way: How the Adult Brain Is Shaped by Musical Training in Childhood.  The Journal of Neuroscience, 32(34):11507–11510).
• Studies have shown that young children who take keyboard lessons have greater abstract reasoning abilities than their peers, and that these abilities improve over time with sustained training in music (Rauscher, F.H. , & Zupan, M., "Classroom keyboard instruction improves kindergarten children's spatial-temporal performance: A field experiment" Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15 , 215-228.2000).
• Children with learning disabilities or dyslexia who tend to lose focus with more noise could benefit greatly from music lessons (Arete Music Academy. "Statistical benefits of music in education." Arete Music Academy. Accessed July 17, 2014).
• 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 (National Association for Music Education. "The Benefits of the Study of Music." National Association for Music Education. Accessed July 17, 2014).
• 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 ( Dr. Laurel Trainor, Prof. of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior at  McMaster University, 2006).
• Musically trained children performed better in a memory test that is  correlated with general intelligence skills such as literacy, verbal memory, visiospatial processing, mathematics, and IQ ( Dr. Laurel Trainor, Prof. of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior at  McMaster University, 2006).
• Music education sharpens student attentiveness (Arts Education Partnership, 2011).
• Music education equips students to be creative (Arts Education Partnership, 2011).
• Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children than in those without music training.  Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory ( Strait, D.L. and N. Kraus, Biological impact of auditory expertise across the life span: musicians as a model of auditory learning.  Hearing Research, 2013.)
• According to research published in a 2014 article  in Parents magazine, learning how to play percussion  instruments helps children develop coordination and  motor skills, because they require movement of the hands, arms, and feet (Kwan, A. 2013, “6 Benefits of Music Lessons,” Parents).
• Music and math are highly intertwined. By understanding beat, rhythm, and scales, children are learning how to divide, create fractions, and recognize patterns (Lynn Kleiner, founder of Music Rhapsody in Redondo Beach, CA).
• Certain instruments, such as percussion, help children develop coordination and motor skills; they require movement of the hands, arms, and feet (Kristen Regester, Early Childhood Program Manager at Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College Chicago. Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation).
• In order to fully reap the cognitive benefits of a music class, kids can’t just sit there and let the sound of music wash over them. They have to be actively engaged in the music and participate in the class (Dr. Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory).
• Researchers found that after two years, children who not only regularly attended music classes, but also actively participated in the class, showed larger improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers (Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, quoted in Melissa Locker, "This Is How Music Can Change Your Brain," Time, December 16, 2014).
• A study at the University of California at Irvine demonstrated that young kids who participated in music instruction showed dramatic enhancements in abstract reasoning skills. In fact, researchers have found neural firing patterns that suggest that music may hold the key to higher brain function ( Rauscher, Shaw, Levine , Ky and Wright, "Music and Spatial Task Performance: A Causal Relationship," University of California , Irvine , 1994) .
• Playing a musical instrument strengthens eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills, and kids who study an instrument learn a lot about discipline, dedication and the rewards of hard work ( http://nisom.com/index.php/instruction/health-benefits).
• Music training not only helps children develop fine motor skills, but aids emotional and behavioral maturation as well, according to a new study, one of the largest to investigate the effects of playing an instrument on brain development (Amy Ellis Nutt, "Music lessons spur emotional and behavioral growth in children, new study says," The Washington Post, January 7, 2015).
• Music training leads to greater gains in auditory and motor function when begun in young childhood; by adolescence, the plasticity that characterizes childhood has begun to decline.  Nevertheless, our results establish that music training impacts the auditory system even when it is begun in adolescence, suggesting that a modest amount of training begun later in life can affect neural function (Adam T. Tierney, Jennifer Krizman, Nina Kraus, "Music training alters the course of adolescent auditory development," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015).
• A Canadian study of 48 preschoolers and published in 2011, found that verbal IQ increased after only 20 days of music training. In fact, the increase was five times that of a control group of preschoolers, who were given visual art lessons, says lead researcher Sylvain Moreno, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. He found that music training enhanced the children’s “executive function”—that is, their brains’ ability to plan, organize, strategize and solve problems. And he found the effect in 90% of the children, an unusually high rate (Joanne Lipman, "A Musical Fix for American Schools," The Wall Street Journal,  October 10, 2014).
• In a 2009 study in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers used an MRI to study the brains of 31 6-year-old children, before and after they took lessons on musical instrument for 15 months. They found that the music students’ brains grew larger in the areas that control fine motor skills and hearing—and that students’ abilities in both those areas also improved. The corpus callosum, which connects the left and right sides of the brain, grew as well (Joanne Lipman, "A Musical Fix for American Schools," The Wall Street Journal,  October 10, 2014).
• Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression. For children and adults, music helps strengthen memory skills (© 2015 Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization).

Social Benefits/Facts:

• Children who study a musical instrument are more likely to excel in all of their studies, work better in teams, have enhanced critical thinking skills, stay in school, and pursue further education (Arte Music Academy. "Statistical benefits of music in education." Statistical-Benefits-Of-Music-In-Education. Accessed July 17, 2014).
• Music education supports better study habits and self-esteem (Arts Education Partnership, 2011).
• Hispanic and African-American parents  generally feel music provides more benefits  to children than other parents do.  Like their urban counterparts, however,  they feel they’re being shortchanged in  a number of ways—though they’re taking  steps to overcome these deficits that could model solutions for other groups ( NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015.  Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Majorities of both parents and teachers  see a myriad of social-emotional,  academic, 21st century skill, community,  and physical and health benefits  from music education—especially social-emotional benefits (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Majorities of both parents and teachers  are aware of research on the effects of  music on the developing brain, and have  personally experienced the benefits of music education on their own children or students (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Four of the top five benefits  teachers see in  the potential of music education to  help students express themselves (cited  by 92 percent of  teachers), become  more confident  (90 percent), and  develop better  practice habits (89  percent) and more  self-discipline (88 percent) (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Majorities of parents whose children  are involved in music classes also credit  music education for making them  happier, more focused, more selfdisciplined,  stronger academically and more helpful (NAMM Foundation and Grunwald Associates LLC, 2015. Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K–12 Music Education in the United States: 2015).
• Taking music lessons offers a space where kids  learn how to accept and give constructive criticism,  according to research published in The Wall Street Journal in 2014 (Joanne Lipman, "A Musical Fix for American Schools," The Wall Street Journal,  October 10, 2014).
• Group classes require peer interaction and communication, which encourage teamwork, as children must collaborate to create a crescendo or an accelerando (Kristen Regester, Early Childhood Program Manager at Sherwood Community Music School at Columbia College Chicago. Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation).
• Playing an instrument teaches kids to persevere through hours, months, and sometimes years of practice before they reach specific goals, such as performing with a band or memorizing a solo piece (Mary Larew, Suzuki violin teacher at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, Connecticut. Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation).
• Lessons offer a forum where children can learn to accept and give constructive criticism. Turning negative feedback into positive change helps build self-confidence (Mary Larew, Suzuki violin teacher at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, Connecticut. Copyright © 2013 Meredith Corporation).
• Making music together, children learn to work as a team while they each contribute to the song in their own way. At the same time, music helps children learn that together they can make something larger than the sum of its parts (© 2015 Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization).
• More benefits of music for children include learning cooperation, sharing, compromise, creativity, and concentration - skills that become invaluable as they enter school, face new challenges, and begin to form new friendships and develop social skills (© 2015 Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS), a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization).
• Kids who make music have been shown to get along better with classmates and have fewer discipline problems. More of them get into their preferred colleges, too (http://nisom.com/index.php/instruction/health-benefits).
• 95 percent of Americans consider music to be part of a well-rounded education, and 93 percent feel that schools should offer music education as part of the regular curriculum.  Nearly four in five (79 percent) even say that music education should be mandated for every student in school (2003 Gallup Poll conducted for NAMM).

Quotes/Testimonials:

"One of the biggest kicks is to see a child come into the music program as an introvert and leave as a student leader. That's a tremendous process." - Dick Zentner, 2013 Patrick John Hughes Parent/Booster Award Recipient

“We have this holistic opportunity to teach children the benefits of direct participatory music education.” -  Linda Edelstein, Milwaukee youth symphony orchestra

“At this time when you are making critical and far-reaching budget and program decisions…I write to bring to your attention the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act defines the arts as a core subject, and the arts play a significant role in children’s development and learning process. The arts can help students become tenacious, team-oriented problem solvers who are confident and able to think creatively.” - Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, Letter to Schools and Community Leaders, 2009

"Early sustained music learning is actually the frame upon which education itself can be built for low-income kids." - Margaret Martin, founder, Harmony Project, quoted in PBS NEWS HOUR. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education-jan-june14-harmony_01-04

"In science I had very low grades and then once I started learning about music and being able to practice and concentrating, my science grades have gone higher and so have my other grade in other subjects. I would concentrate in my music and it was something to be focused on and not be bothered by anyone. I was using that on my homework and on any type of class work also. Science is now one of my best subjects." - Vianey Calixto, student and Harmony Project Participant quoted in PBS NEWS HOUR. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education-jan-june14-harmony_01-04

"While more affluent students do better in school than children from lower income backgrounds, we are finding that musical training can alter the nervous system to create a better learner and help offset this academic gap." - Dr. Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern’s Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory quoted in "Musical training 'can improve language and reading" http://www.bbc.com/news/health-28703013

"Music is no cure-all, nor is it likely to turn your child into a Nobel Prize winner. But there is compelling evidence that it can boost children’s academic performance and help fix some of our schools’ most intractable problems." - Joanne Lipman, "A Musical Fix for American Schools," The Wall Street Journal,  October 10, 2014

"A kid with a music degree isn’t limited to a performance or teaching career. Musicians are everywhere. We are project managers, marketers, Finance folks, IT people and engineers. In my twenty-some years as a corporate HR person, I was always impressed by the way musical people excelled at logic and non-linear thinking, both." - Liz Ryan, "Let the kids study music, already!" Forbes, September 3, 2014

"Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think ‘outside of the box’ will distinguish your child from others. In an arts program, your child will be asked to recite a monologue in 6 different ways, create a painting that represents a memory, or compose a new rhythm to enhance a piece of music. If children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them now and in their future career." - Lisa Phillips, "The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world," ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013

"When a child picks up a violin for the first time, she/he knows that playing Bach right away is not an option; however, when that child practices, learns the skills and techniques and doesn’t give up, that Bach concerto is that much closer. In an increasingly competitive world, where people are being asked to continually develop new skills, perseverance is essential to achieving success." - Lisa Phillips, "The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world," ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013

"The ability to focus is a key skill developed through ensemble work. Keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus. It requires each participant to not only think about their role, but how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created. Recent research has shown that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives." - Lisa Phillips, "The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world," ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013

"When a child has a part to play in a music ensemble, or a theater or dance production, they begin to understand that their contribution is necessary for the success of the group. Through these experiences children gain confidence and start to learn that their contributions have value even if they don’t have the biggest role." - Lisa Phillips, "The artistic edge: 7 skills children need to succeed in an increasingly right brain world," ARTSblog, Americans for the Arts, 2013

“I believe arts education in music, theater, dance, and the visual arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface. They (children) have an enthusiasm for life a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need training – training that prepares them to become confident young men and women.” - Richard W. Riley, Former US Secretary of Education

“Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them – a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.” - Gerald Ford, Former President of the United States

“Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and by studying music in schools, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective.” - Bill Clinton, Former President of the United States

"A broad education in the arts helps give children a better understanding of their world… We need students who are culturally literate as well as math and science literate." - Paul Ostergard, Vice President, Citicorp

"Arts education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate, the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence." - Joseph M. Calahan, Director of Cooperate Communications, Xerox Corporation

"The hope of our music, the entire future of our music, unquestionably lies in our children." - Aubertine Woodward Moore, "Our Children, The Hope of Music: Building a Musical America," The Art World, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 512-514, September 1917

"Research indicates the brain of a musician, even a young one, works differently than that of a nonmusician.  "There's some good neuroscience research that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training.  When you're a musician and you're playing an instrument, you have to be using more of your brain." - Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The John Hopkins University, quoted in "The Benefits of Music Education," pbs.org, Laura Lewis Brown

"I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning." - Plato

More Benefits/Facts:

• Research tells us children who play music do better in school and in life.
• A recent Gallup Poll revealed that 94 percent of Americans consider music to be part of a well-rounded education. (Source: NAMM Gallup poll 2006.)
• A Columbia University study revealed that students in the arts are found to be more cooperative with teachers and peers, more self-confident and better able to express their ideas. (Source: Burton, J., Horowitz, R., Abeles, H. Champions of Change, Arts Education Partnership, 1999.)
• Students indicate that arts participation motivates them to stay in school, and that the arts create a supportive environment that promotes constructive acceptance of criticism and one in which it is safe to take risks. (Source: Barry, N., Taylor, K. and K. Walls Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development, AEP, 2002.)
• A study examined the influence of music education on nonmusical abilities, the effects of music lessons on academic performance, and cognitive abilities. The study revealed that students who participated in music lessons showed statistically higher intelligence quotients. (Source: Glenn Schellenberg, Music Lessons Enhance IQ, Psychological Science, Vol. 15, No. 8, 2004.)
• A study of rural and urban inner-city schools found that arts programs helped schools in economically disadvantaged communities develop students’ critical-thinking and problem solving skills. (Source: Stevenson, L., Deasy, R., Third Space: When Learning Matters, AEP, 2005.)
• With music in schools, students connect to each other better— greater camaraderie, fewer fights, less racism and reduced use of hurtful sarcasm. (Source: Jensen, E., Arts With the Brain In Mind, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.)
• The vast majority —96 percent—of the school principals interviewed in a recent study agree that participation in music education encourages and motivates students to stay in school. Further, 89 percent of principals feel that a high-quality music education program contributes to their school achieving higher graduation rates. (Source: Harris Interactive Poll, 2006.)
• The skills gained through sequential music instruction, including discipline and the ability to analyze, solve problems, communicate and work cooperatively, are vital for success in the 21st century workplace. (Source: U.S. House of Representatives, Concurrent Resolution 355, March 6, 2006.)

Photo credit: Rob Davidson Photography

• Discover more facts and quotes to help make your case for supporting music education

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Guide on How to Write a Music Essay: Topics and Examples

Let's Understand What is Music Essay

You know how some school assignments are fun to write by default, right? When students see them on the course syllabus, they feel less like a burden and more like a guaranteed pleasure. They are about our interests and hobbies and therefore feel innate and intuitive to write. They are easy to navigate, and interesting topic ideas just pop into your head without much trouble.

Music essays belong to the category of fun essay writing. What is music essay? Anything from in-depth analysis to personal thoughts put into words and then to paper can fall into a music essay category. An essay about music can cover a wide range of topics, including music history, theory, social impact, significance, and musical review. It can be an analytical essay about any music genre, musical instruments, or today's music industry.

Don't get us wrong, you will still need to do extensive research to connect your opinions to a broader context, and you can't step out of academic writing standards, but the essay writing process will be fun.

In this article, our custom essay writing service is going to guide you through every step of writing an excellent music essay. You can draw inspiration from the list of music essay topics that our team prepared, and later on, you will learn what an outstanding essay on music is by an example of a music review essay.

What are Some Music Topics to Write About

There are so many exciting music topics to write about. We would have trouble choosing one. You can write about various music genres, be it country music or classical music; you can research music therapy or how music production happens.

Okay, forgive us for getting carried away; music makes us enthusiastic. Below you will find a list of various music essay topics prepared from our thesis writing service . Choose one and write a memorable essay about everyone's favorite art form.

Music Argumentative Essay Topics

Music essays can be written about an infinite number of themes. You can even write about performance or media comparison.

Here is a list of music argumentative essay topics. These edge-cutting topics will challenge your readers and get you an easy A+.

• Exploring the evolution of modern music styles of the 21st century
• Is it ethical to own and play rare musical instruments?
• Is music therapy an effective mental health treatment?
• Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Creativity in electronic music
• The Relevance of traditional music theory in modern music production
• The Role of musical pieces in the Transmission of cultural identity
• The value of historical analysis in understanding the significance of music in society
• How does exposing listeners to different genres of music break down barriers
• Exploring the cognitive effects of music on human brain development
• The therapeutic potential of music in treating mental disorders

Why is Music Important Essay Topics

Do you know which essay thrills our team the most? The importance of music in life essay. We put our minds together and came up with a list of topics about why music is so central to human life. Start writing why is music important essay, and we guarantee you that you will be surprised by how much fun you had crafting it.  

• Popular Music and its Role in shaping cultural trends
• Music as a metaphorical language for expressing emotions and thoughts
• How music changes and influences social and political movements
• How the music of different countries translates their history to outsiders
• The innate connection between music and human beings
• How music helps us understand feelings we have never experienced
• Does music affect our everyday life and the way we think?
• Examining the cross-cultural significance of music in society
• How rock music influenced 70's political ideologies
• How rap music closes gaps between different racial groups in the US

Consider delegating your ' write my essay ' request to our expert writers for crafting a perfect paper on any music topic!

Why I Love Music Essay Topics

We want to know what is music to you, and the best way to tell us is to write a why I love music essay. Below you will find a list of music essay topics that will help you express your love for music.

• I love how certain songs and artists evoke Memories and Emotions
• I love the diversity of music genres and how different styles enrich my love for music
• I love how music connects me with people of different backgrounds
• How the music of Linkin Park helped me through life's toughest challenges
• What does my love for popular music say about me?
• How the unique sounds of string instruments fuel my love for music
• How music provides a temporary Release from the stresses of daily life
• How music motivates me to chase my dreams
• How the raw energy of rock music gets me through my daily life
• Why my favorite song is more than just music to me

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Our expert team is quick to get you an A+ on all your assignments!

Music Therapy Essay Topics

One of the most interesting topics about music for an essay is music therapy. We are sure you have heard all the stories of how music cures not only mental but also physical pains. Below you can find a list of topics that will help you craft a compelling music therapy essay. And don't forget that you can always rely on our assistance for fulfilling your ' write my paper ' requests!

• The effectiveness of music therapy in reducing stress and pain for cancer patients
• Does pop music have the same effects on music therapy as classical music?
• Exploring the benefits of music therapy with other genres beyond classical music
• The potential of music therapy in aiding substance abuse treatment and recovery
• The Role of music therapy in Addressing PTSD and Trauma in military veterans
• The impact of music therapy on enhancing social interaction and emotional expression in individuals with developmental disabilities
• The use of music therapy in managing chronic pain
• Does musical therapy help depression?
• Does music reduce anxiety levels?
• Is music therapy better than traditional medicine?

History of Music Essay Topics

If you love analytical essays and prefer to see the bigger picture, you can always write a music description essay. Below you can find some of the most interesting topics for the history of music essay.

• The Significance of natural instruments in music production and performance
• Tracing the historical development of Western music theory
• How electronic music traces its roots back to classical music
• How the music industry evolved from sheet music to streaming services
• How modern producers relate to classical composers
• The Origins and Influence of Jazz Music
• How folk music saved the Stories of unnamed heroes
• Do we know what the music of ancient civilizations sounded like?
• Where does your favorite bandstand in the line of music evolve?
• The Influence of African American Music on modern pop culture

Benefits of Music Essay Topics

If you are someone who wonders what are some of the values that music brings to our daily life, you should write the benefits of music essay. The music essay titles below can inspire you to write a captivating essay:

• How music can be used to promote cultural awareness and understanding
• The benefits of music education in promoting creativity and innovation
• The social benefits of participating in music groups
• The Impact of Music on Memory and Learning
• The cognitive benefits of music education in early childhood development
• The effects of music on mood and behavior
• How learning to play an instrument improves cognitive functions.
• How music connects people distanced by thousands of miles
• The benefits of listening to music while exercising
• How music can express the feelings words fail to do so 

Music Analysis Essay Example

Reading other people's papers is a great way to scale yours. There are many music essay examples, but the one crafted by our expert writers stands out in every possible way. You can learn what a great thesis statement looks like, how to write an engaging introduction, and what comprehensive body paragraphs should look like. 

Click on the sample below to see the music analysis essay example. 

How to Write a Music Essay with Steps

Writing music essays is definitely not rocket science, so don't be afraid. It's just like writing any other paper, and a music essay outline looks like any other essay structure.

• Start by choosing a music essay topic. You can use our list above to get inspired. Choose a topic about music that feels more relevant and less researched so you can add brand-new insights. As we discussed, your music essay can be just about anything; it can be a concert report or an analytical paper about the evolution of music.
• Continue by researching the topic. Gather all the relevant materials and information for your essay on music and start taking notes. You can use these notes as building blocks for the paper. Be prepared; even for short essays, you may need to read books and long articles.
• Once you have all the necessary information, the ideas in your head will start to take shape. The next step is to develop a thesis statement out of all the ideas you have in your head. A thesis statement is a must as it informs readers what the entire music essay is about. Don't be afraid to be bold in your statement; new outlooks are always appreciated.
• Next, you'll need a music essay introduction. Here you introduce the readers to the context and background information about the research topic. It should be clear, brief, and engaging. You should set the tone of your essay from the very beginning. Don't forget the introduction is where the thesis statement goes.
• One of the most important parts of essay writing is crafting a central body paragraph about music. This is where you elaborate on your thesis, make main points, and support them with the evidence you gathered beforehand. Remember, your music essay should be well structured and depict a clear picture of your ideas.
• Next, you will need to come up with an ideal closing paragraph. Here you will need to once again revisit the main points in your music essay, restate them in a logical manner and give the readers your final thoughts.
• Don't forget to proofread your college essay. Whether you write a long or short essay on music, there will be grammatical and factual errors. Revise and look through your writing with a critical mind. You may find that some parts need rewriting.

Key Takeaways

Music essays are a pleasure to write and read. There are so many topics and themes to choose from, and if you follow our How to Write a Music Essay guide, you are guaranteed to craft a top-notch essay every time.

Be bold when selecting a subject even when unsure what is research essay topic on music, take the writing process easy, follow the academic standards, and you are good to go. Use our music essay sample to challenge yourself and write a professional paper. 

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EDITORIAL article

Editorial: the impact of music on human development and well-being.

• 1 Department of Culture, Communication and Media, University College London, London, United Kingdom
• 2 Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
• 3 School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
• 4 Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Editorial on the Research Topic The Impact of Music on Human Development and Well-Being

Music is one of the most universal ways of expression and communication for humankind and is present in the everyday lives of people of all ages and from all cultures around the world ( Mehr et al., 2019 ). Hence, it seems more appropriate to talk about musics (plural) rather than in the singular ( Goble, 2015 ). Furthermore, research by anthropologists as well as ethnomusicologists suggests that music has been a characteristic of the human condition for millennia (cf. Blacking, 1976 ; Brown, 1999 ; Mithen, 2005 ; Dissanayake, 2012 ; Higham et al., 2012 ; Cross, 2016 ). Nevertheless, whilst the potential for musical behavior is a characteristic of all human beings, its realization is shaped by the environment and the experiences of individuals, often within groups ( North and Hargreaves, 2008 ; Welch and McPherson, 2018 ). Listening to music, singing, playing (informally, formally), creating (exploring, composing, improvising), whether individually and collectively, are common activities for the vast majority of people. Music represents an enjoyable activity in and of itself, but its influence goes beyond simple amusement.

These activities not only allow the expression of personal inner states and feelings, but also can bring about many positive effects in those who engage in them. There is an increasing body of empirical and experimental studies concerning the wider benefits of musical activity, and research in the sciences associated with music suggests that there are many dimensions of human life—including physical, social, educational, psychological (cognitive and emotional)—which can be affected positively by successful engagement in music ( Biasutti and Concina, 2013 ). Learning in and through music is something that can happen formally (such as part of structured lessons in school), as well as in other-than-formal situations, such as in the home with family and friends, often non-sequentially and not necessarily intentional, and where participation in music learning is voluntary, rather than mandated, such as in a community setting (cf. Green, 2002 ; Folkestad, 2006 ; Saether, 2016 ; Welch and McPherson, 2018 ).

Such benefits are evidenced across the lifespan, including early childhood ( Gerry et al., 2012 ; Williams et al., 2015 ; Linnavalli et al., 2018 ), adolescence ( McFerran et al., 2018 ), and older adulthood ( Lindblad and de Boise, 2020 ). Within these lifespan perspectives, research into music's contribution to health and well-being provides evidence of physical and psychological impacts ( MacDonald et al., 2013 ; Fancourt and Finn, 2019 ; van den Elzen et al., 2019 ). Benefits are also reported in terms of young people's educational outcomes ( Guhn et al., 2019 ), and successful musical activity can enhance an individual's sense of social inclusion ( Welch et al., 2014 ) and social cohesion ( Elvers et al., 2017 ).

This special issue provides a collection of 21, new research articles that deepen and develop our understanding of the ways and means that music can impact positively on human development and well-being. The collection draws on the work of 88 researchers from 17 different countries across the world, with each article offering an illustration of how music can relate to other important aspects of human functioning. In addition, the articles collectively illustrate a wide range of contemporary research approaches. These provide evidence of how different research aims concerning the wider benefits of music require sensitive and appropriate methodologies.

In terms of childhood and adolescence, for example, Putkinen et al. demonstrate how musical training is likely to foster enhanced sound encoding in 9 to 15-year-olds and thus be related to reading skills. A separate Finnish study by Saarikallio et al. provides evidence of how musical listening influences adolescents' perceived sense of agency and emotional well-being, whilst demonstrating how this impact is particularly nuanced by context and individuality. Aspects of mental health are the focus for an Australian study by Stewart et al. of young people with tendencies to depression. The article explores how, despite existing literature on the positive use of music for mood regulation, music listening can be double-edged and could actually sustain or intensify a negative mood.

A Portuguese study by Martins et al. shifts the center of attention from mental to physical benefits in their study of how learning music can support children's coordination. They provide empirical data on how a sustained, 24-week programme of Orff-based music education, which included the playing of simple tuned percussion instruments, significantly enhanced the manual dexterity and bimanual coordination in participant 8-year-olds compared to their active control (sports) and passive control peers. A related study by Loui et al. in the USA offers insights into the neurological impact of sustained musical instrument practice. Eight-year-old children who play one or more musical instruments for at least 0.5 h per week had higher scores on verbal ability and intellectual ability, and these correlated with greater measurable connections between particular regions of the brain related to both auditory-motor and bi-hemispheric connectivity.

Younger, pre-school children can also benefit from musical activities, with associations being reported between informal musical experiences in the home and specific aspects of language development. A UK-led study by Politimou et al. found that rhythm perception and production were the best predictors of young children's phonological awareness, whilst melody perception was the best predictor of grammar acquisition, a novel association not previously observed in developmental research. In another pre-school study, Barrett et al. explored the beliefs and values held by Australian early childhood and care practitioners concerning the value of music in young children's learning. Despite having limited formal qualifications and experience of personal music learning, practitioners tended overall to have positive attitudes to music, although this was biased toward music as a recreational and fun activity, with limited support for the notion of how music might be used to support wider aspects of children's learning and development.

Engaging in music to support a positive sense of personal agency is an integral feature of several articles in the collection. In addition to the Saarikallio team's research mentioned above, Moors et al. provide a novel example of how engaging in collective beatboxing can be life-enhancing for throat cancer patients in the UK who have undergone laryngectomy, both in terms of supporting their voice rehabilitation and alaryngeal phonation, as well as patients' sense of social inclusion and emotional well-being.

One potential reason for these positive findings is examined in an Australian study by Krause et al. . They apply the lens of self-determination theory to examine musical participation and well-being in a large group of 17 to 85-year-olds. Respondents to an online questionnaire signaled the importance of active music making in their lives in meeting three basic psychological needs embracing a sense of competency, relatedness and autonomy.

The use of public performance in music therapy is the subject of a US study by Vaudreuil et al. concerning the social transformation and reintegration of US military service members. Two example case studies are reported of service members who received music therapy as part of their treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological health concerns. The participants wrote, learned, and refined songs over multiple music therapy sessions and created song introductions to share with audiences. Subsequent interviews provide positive evidence of the beneficial psychological effects of this programme of audience-focused musical activity.

Relatedly, McFerran et al. in Australia examined the ways in which music and trauma have been reported in selected music therapy literature from the past 10 years. The team's critical interpretive synthesis of 36 related articles led them to identify four different ways in which music has been used beneficially to support those who have experienced trauma. These approaches embrace the use of music for stabilizing (the modulation of physiological processes) and entrainment (the synchronization of music and movement), as well as for expressive and performative purposes—the fostering of emotional and social well-being.

The therapeutic potential of music is also explored in a detailed case study by Fachner et al. . Their research focuses on the nature of critical moments in a guided imagery and music session between a music therapist and a client, and evidences how these moments relate to underlying neurological function in the mechanics of music therapy.

At the other end of the age span, and also related to therapy, an Australian study by Brancatisano et al. reports on a new Music, Mind, and Movement programme for people in their eighties with mild to moderate dementia. Participants involved in the programme tended to show an improvement in aspects of cognition, particularly verbal fluency and attention. Similarly, Wilson and MacDonald report on a 10-week group music programme for young Scottish adults with learning difficulties. The research data suggest that participants enjoyed the programme and tended to sustain participation, with benefits evidenced in increased social engagement, interaction and communication.

The role of technology in facilitating access to music and supporting a sense of agency in older people is the focus for a major literature review by Creech , now based in Canada. Although this is a relatively under-researched field, the available evidence suggests that that older people, even those with complex needs, are capable of engaging with and using technology in a variety of ways that support their musical perception, learning and participation and wider quality of life.

Related to the particular needs of the young, children's general behavior can also improve through music, as exampled in an innovative, school-based, intensive 3-month orchestral programme in Italy with 8 to 10-year-olds. Fasano et al. report that the programme was particularly beneficial in reducing hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity, whilst enhancing inhibitory control. These benefits are in line with research findings concerning successful music education with specific cases of young people with ADHD whose behavior is characterized by these same disruptive symptoms (hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity).

Extra-musical benefits are also reported in a study of college students (Bachelors and Masters) and amateur musicians in a joint Swiss-UK study. Antonini Philippe et al. suggest that, whilst music making can offer some health protective effects, there is a need for greater health awareness and promotion among advanced music students. Compared to the amateur musicians, the college music students evaluated their overall quality of life and general and physical health more negatively, as did females in terms of their psychological health. Somewhat paradoxically, the college students who had taken part in judged performances reported higher psychological health ratings. This may have been because this sub-group were slightly older and more experienced musicians.

Music appears to be a common accompaniment to exercise, whether in the gym, park or street. Nikol et al. in South East Asia explore the potential physical benefits of synchronous exercise to music, especially in hot and humid conditions. Their randomized cross-over study (2019) reports that “time-to-exhaustion” under the synchronous music condition was 2/3 longer compared to the no-music condition for the same participants. In addition, perceived exertion was significantly lower, by an average of 22% during the synchronous condition.

Comparisons between music and sport are often evidenced in the body of existing Frontiers research literature related to performance and group behaviors. Our new collection contains a contribution to this literature in a study by Habe et al. . The authors investigated elite musicians and top athletes in Slovenia in terms of their perceptions of flow in performance and satisfaction with life. The questionnaire data analyses suggest that the experience of flow appears to influence satisfaction with life in these high-functioning individuals, albeit with some variations related to discipline, participant sex and whether considering team or individual performance.

A more formal link between music and movement is the focus of an exploratory case study by Cirelli and Trehub . They investigated a 19-month-old infant's dance-like, motorically-complex responses to familiar and unfamiliar songs, presented at different speeds. Movements were faster for the more familiar items at their original tempo. The child had been observed previously as moving to music at the age of 6 months.

Finally, a novel UK-based study by Waddington-Jones et al. evaluated the impact of two professional composers who were tasked, individually, to lead a 4-month programme of group composing in two separate and diverse community settings—one with a choral group and the other in a residential home, both funded as part of a music programme for the Hull City of Culture in 2017. In addition to the two composers, the participants were older adults, with the residential group being joined by schoolchildren from a local Primary school to collaborate in a final performance. Qualitative data analyses provide evidence of multi-dimensional psychological benefits arising from the successful, group-focused music-making activities.

In summary, these studies demonstrate that engaging in musical activity can have a positive impact on health and well-being in a variety of ways and in a diverse range of contexts across the lifespan. Musical activities, whether focused on listening, being creative or re-creative, individual or collective, are infused with the potential to be therapeutic, developmental, enriching, and educational, with the caveat provided that such musical experiences are perceived to be engaging, meaningful and successful by those who participate.

Collectively, these studies also celebrate the multiplicity of ways in which music can be experienced. Reading across the articles might raise a question as to whether or not any particular type of musical experience is seen to be more beneficial compared with another. The answer, at least in part, is that the empirical evidence suggests that musical engagement comes in myriad forms along a continuum of more or less overt activity, embracing learning, performing, composing and improvising, as well as listening and appreciating. Furthermore, given the multidimensional neurological processing of musical experience, it seems reasonable to hypothesize that it is perhaps the level of emotional engagement in the activity that drives its degree of health and well-being efficacy as much as the activity's overt musical features. And therein are opportunities for further research!

Author Contributions

The editorial was drafted by GW and approved by the topic Co-editors. All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the Edited Collection, and have approved this editorial for publication.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Acknowledgments

We are very grateful to all the contributing authors and their participants for their positive engagement with this Frontiers Research Topic, and also for the Frontiers staff for their commitment and support in bringing this topic to press.

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Keywords: music, wider benefits, lifespan, health, well-being

Citation: Welch GF, Biasutti M, MacRitchie J, McPherson GE and Himonides E (2020) Editorial: The Impact of Music on Human Development and Well-Being. Front. Psychol. 11:1246. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01246

Received: 12 January 2020; Accepted: 13 May 2020; Published: 17 June 2020.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2020 Welch, Biasutti, MacRitchie, McPherson and Himonides. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Graham F. Welch, graham.welch@ucl.ac.uk ; Michele Biasutti, michele.biasutti@unipd.it

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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6 Benefits Of Music Education In Early Childhood

When it comes to improving education , STEM subjects are at the top of everyone’s agenda these days. Indeed, science, technology, engineering, and math are vital in an increasingly technological world, but the arts proffer their own benefits, often in unexpected ways.

Check out these six proven benefits of music education .

Improve Fine Motor Skills And Coordination Music isn’t just about the auditory sense, though it helps hone that skill better than any other subject. Learning how to play an instrument involves improving hand-to-eye coordination, ear-to-hand coordination, and the fine motor skills needed to tease a cymbal or tickle the ivories.

Improve Language Development Science has shown that learning music requires the same parts of the brain involved in learning language. Singing, embracing new melodies, and taking up an instrument thickens the web of circuits vital to sound processing and comprehension.

Children who are adept in verbal communication tend to have an advantage in both educational and social settings, a benefit that is magnified as time goes on.

Improve Focus And Memory Working one’s way through even the simplest of piano études is an exercise in focus, hand/eye coordination, and both physical and mental recall. By sticking to it, students learn that mastery is a direct result of practicing frequently, in part because repetition reinforces memory.

Improve Fundamental Math Skills For the uninitiated, the little black dots rising and falling upon a scale seem to bear no relation to keys on a piano or chords on a guitar. But to a child who can read music, those dots deliver rich amounts of information about what keys to press on a trumpet or strings to pass the bow across on a cello. In math terms, this is called pattern recognition.

When it comes to fundamental math skills, there’s no ignoring the Mozart Effect. Scientists ran a test in which college students were given a number of spatial tasks to do, such as trace a path out of a paper maze. Those who listened to Mozart first did the task measurably faster and more accurately than those who didn’t. It turns out that music lights up the same part of the brain that grapples with spatial skills—vital for understanding higher math.

Improve Discipline And Teamwork The value of hard work is a lesson that a child has to experience on her own. A schedule of daily music practice is an honest discipline that will show your child that hard work leads to true benefits.

For older children, joining a small ensemble, a large school orchestra, or even a rock band encourages teamwork as well as the overall positive feeling that comes with collaborating with a greater community toward a common goal.

Improve Self-Confidence And Self-Esteem When a skill builds incrementally, at a speed that is directly related to the amount of work put into it, a child will soon see benefits from his labors. It’s empowering for a child to realize that the extent of his own achievement lies squarely in his own hands.

Also, since music is meant to be performed, developing the courage to stand up in front of both friends and strangers to exhibit achievements is good way to brace for the business meetings and first-job-interviews of the real world.

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