The Importance of Music Education in the Public Schools

As educators, it is our responsibility to nurture inthe only one of us to become a professional
our students the knowledge and abilities that theymusician and music educator, each of my siblings
need in order to be balanced and productivehave gone on to successful careers including three
members of society. While mastery of the basicdoctors, an architect and an engineer. I feel
subjects such as reading and writing, math andgreatly indebted to the many music educators
the sciences are of course essential to obtainingthat taught my family and me and am saddened
this goal, many so-called extra-curricular subjectsto hear that the opportunities we received are
-- especially music -- are also vital in this effort.not always available to children. I have made it
For its many tangible benefits, music should bemy personal challenge as a music teacher and
maintained and promoted as an essentialchoir director to individually reach each of my
component of elementary and secondarystudents and instill in them the skills and
education.appreciation of music that bring such joy to my
For centuries music had been considered anown life. As a public school teacher, I find great
irreplaceable part of a proper education. Earlyfulfillment knowing that the skills I teach them in
universities taught it as one of the quadrivium ormusic classes and ensembles will not only enable a
four essential pillars of education. Albert Einsteinlife-long interest, but will also help them in many
himself was a skilled musician and frequentlyother important areas of their lives and contribute
attributed his discoveries in physics to the musicalto their success in life.
training he received.[1] Modern educational politics,The great violin teacher Shinichi Suzuki said "The
however, have often marginalized music educationpurpose of [music] education is to train children,
to a luxurious and expensive "extra" program thatnot to be professional musicians but to be fine
is often cut when negative budget issues are met.musicians and to show high ability in any other
Education administrators too often mistakenlyfield they enter."[9] My experience has taught me
believe that music education is a misguided effortthat music education uniquely enhances learning
to channel students into a career in music or, atand prepares children for successful lives. Along
best, an expensive "play time" that does little forwith all the other subjects taught in elementary
their educational development.and secondary schools, I hope that I can bring the
If only those administrators could learn theworld of music into the lives of as many children
incredible benefits of music education on students,as I can. In doing so, I know I will make our
they might change their minds. Recent studiessociety just a little bit better by making a big
have indicated that adolescent music educationdifference in their lives.
produces greater observable physicalSources:
development in the brain,[2] and an average of[1] Brian Foster, "Einstein and his Love of Music,"
27% higher math scores,[3] 57 points higher SATPhysics World (Jan. 2005), .
scores[4] and a 46% increase in IQ scores.[5] In[2] G. Schlaug, L. Jancke, Y. Huang and H.
addition to these documented benefits onSteinmetz, "In vivo morphometry of interhem
intelligence, music education has been shownispheric assymetry and connectivity in musicians,"
enhance learning in all other subject areas byProceedings of the 3rd international conference
improving their study skills, receptiveness tofor music perception and cognition (Liege, Belgium,
instruction, social and emotional development.1994), 417-418.
Students that participate in school band or[3] Amy Graziano, Matthew Peterson and Gordon
orchestra also experience the lowest rate of gangShaw, "Enhanced learning of proportional math
activity and substance abuse. Most importantly,through music training and spatial-temporal
the cognitive and behavioral advantages of musictraining," Neurological Research 21 (March 1999).
education are shown to affect all students,[4] College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile
regardless of their ethnicity, "at-risk" status, orof SAT Program Test Takers. The College
socio-economic background.[6]Entrance Examination Board, Princeton, NJ, 2001.
These findings alone should guarantee the inclusion[5] Rauscher, Shaw, Levine, Ky and Wright, "Music
of a robust music program in every primary andand Spatial Task Performance: A Causal
secondary school, but the benefits don't endRelationship," University of California, Irvine, 1994.
there. Adolescent music education has been[6] "Benefits of Music Education," MENC: The
shown to be a reliable predictor of success inNational Association for Music Education, 2002.
college and professional life. It has been reported[7] Lewis Thomas, "The Case for Music in the
that approximately 22% more applying musicSchools," Phi Delta Kappan (February 1994).
majors are admitted to medical schools than any[8] Grant Venerable, "The Paradox of the Silicon
other major,[7] and that "the very best engineersSavior," as reported in "The Case for Sequential
and technical designers in the Silicon ValleyMusic Education in the Core Curriculum of the
industry are, nearly without exception, practicingPublic Schools," The Center for the Arts in the
musicians."[8]Basic Curriculum, New York, 1989.
My parents raised six boys and one girl, all of[9] Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love, second ed.,
whom participated heavily in music during theirAthens OH: Senzay Publications, 1983, 79.
primary and secondary school years. While I was