Kevin Homma 13 November 13, 13 A Case for Music in Schools When districts are faced with budget cuts,

the first thing to be cut in order to save money is music. It seems simple enough to cut music because it isnt viewed as a standard academic subject. In fact, it is generally classified as an elective, a term synonymous with supplementary. Music doesnt have standardized tests, very few students will pursue a career in it, and it seemingly deviates heavily from other subjects in terms of content. There are also no noticeable ramifications. Because of these things, cutting music seems only logical. This is the problem that every music teacher will have to face at some point. But the picture is so much larger than just the K-12 system. Cutting music affects everyone from kindergarteners to seasoned symphony musicians, and not just musicians either. Music is a vital component of education, not just a compartmentalized niche subject. For thousands of years, music has been a traditional component of schooling. In Ancient Greece, it was taught alongside of math and language. It was not viewed as secondary at all. In fact, many of the famous Greek scholars we associate with Philosophy were also musicians. Pythagoras didnt only contribute to geometry. His discovery of the overtone series and the relationship of string vibrations constitutes every chord played in an orchestra, and even the very construction of the instruments they are using. Plato said that music is a more potent instrument than any other for education. If this has been established since Ancient Greece, what changed in the schooling system that has led to the dire situation of music? I believe

that the mass marketing and standardization of school education has led to a suppression of creativity. How can teachers be creative when they have strict standards that dictate their curriculum? How can students get individual creative freedom when they are supposed to be doing the exact same things that their peers are doing? Fortunately, for every argument that is made in support of cutting music, there are a plethora of grounded rebuttals in support of keeping it. These rebuttals are often scientifically supported, although basing all validation on science is what caused the decline of music education in the first place. In any case, the defense of music can be summed up into several broad categories. They are as follows: Music supports intelligence and brain growth, Music trains and refines motor skills, Music is a vehicle for expression, and Music is a lifelong skill that does not deteriorate with age like other activities do. Education boards are so surface level that they only look at test scores and grades. Fortunately, music is a strong academic catalyst. Upon visiting any random high school, one can find most of the smart kids sitting in a band or orchestra. The argument then becomes: Does music make people smarter, or do smarter people tend to make music? The answer is simply, both, but there are many studies that show that music enhances brain activity. In a generic sense, music is a fantastic vehicle for integrating other types of education. Music is one of the very few activities that involve the left and right brain simultaneously. Learning to clap rhythms or identifying pitches on a staff constitutes a left-brain function. Exploring

the nature of sound and blend, as well as phrasing songs or creating them is all right brain function. Language education is extremely important to young children, and music is a language. Studies show that language competence is linked to social competence. Studies also show that students who study music have better language skills than those who dont study. Similar statistics can be said about foreign language, but generally foreign language is taught past the age where the brain soaks up information the most. Music, unlike foreign language, starts early, thus providing a rich environment for students to develop both linguistically and socially, as a band or orchestra is a fantastic place for teamwork and comradeship. Another important educational component of music is IQ development. Studies also show that music boosts the student IQ several points on average. This leads to greater academic success. Generally, test scores of music students are 27% higher than non musicians. This is because musician brains have to work harder. At any given time during a musical performance, a musicians brain is thinking about many things: intonation, dynamic, articulation, blend, memory, phrase, breath, tone quality, and what is about to happen on the next beat. They are also using their eyes to identify concepts that the conductor is giving them. The facts cannot be argued with. It is very clear that academic success and music are legitimately correlated. On a less academic plane, music increases motor skills. Children develop more and more motor skills as they age. It is important that they progress from gross motor to fine motor skills. Music does this innately. Music starts out with the large movements of the body, aka dancing and marching. As students learn

instruments, they have to engage fine motor skills to press down keys, move bows, and strike drums. As the music difficulty increases, more and more fine motor skills have to be used to perform the music correctly. While this coordination is not paramount to an adult, it is very important for a young child. This coordination can also factor into fine-motor based careers such as electricians, jewelers, and surgeons. Perhaps the most important aspect of music, and also why music exists, is the fact that it is a creative outlet. This does not mean that only troubled children use it as an escape. It means that it is fertile territory for a developing mind to find ways of creating. This is an overlooked aspect of modern education, as mentioned previously. Creativity isnt ranked on an SAT score, or college transcript. However, creativity is an essential part of any career. The marketplace of ideas is full of creativity and if creativity is lost, then humanity simply cant progress. Our modern society is constituted on creative inventions. In addition, the economic marketplace generally operates on creativity. The young mind simply needs creative stimulation, and music provides this stimulation. Einstein was a musician as well as a scientist. The same can be said of many important creative figures that didnt necessarily contribute to music. The creative outlets legitimacy is not limited to a creativity-based economy. It is also important in the emotional development of a child. The most emotional years occur in childhood, whether it is the energetic emotions of an excited 1st grader, or the doubtful self consciousness of a teenager. Music provides an explanation for all these things. Music rewards the human mind with emotion.

Reading a science book or history book may not have any effect at all on the emotions. But listening to or playing music definitely does. Exposure to emotions is linked to empathy toward other cultures, higher self-esteem, and better coping with anxiety. Music is a lifetime skill. While studying a science book may reward the mind with scientific info, the process of learning that information does not have many long-term effects. Music, on the other hand, trains its followers with valuable life skills that benefit in any field. Perhaps the most gleaming example of this is the discipline. Musicians are not allowed to settle for second best. They are constantly trying to perfect their craft. In order to do this, they must spend long hours practicing in solitary environments. The time commitment is a spectacle in its own right. To become musically competent is an investment of many years. Many professionals do not get music jobs until they have studied 20 years worth. The aspect of discipline in music also extends to following the direction of a teacher. One amazing aspect of music is that there are no formulas. The teacher can only make it available for the student to discover music on his or her own. For example, if a student is playing out of tune, the teacher cant tell a student to magically correct it by pressing down buttons. What the teacher can do, however, is to tell the student to listen and adjust. The student then experiments and comes to his or her own conclusion about playing in tune. Learning how to play this way is in the students hand. The concentration and focus that musicians need is very great. Discipline is not the only life skill that is taught. Among the other life skills it teaches is teamwork. Music requires that all students are on the same page. It only

takes one person to mess up a piece of music. If one student fails a science test, only that one student is affected. This sense of teamwork provides a stimulus for discipline. Students know that if they work together, the overall sound will benefit. This can apply in any career situation. On a greater level is the practice of leadership and risk taking. Every performance is a risk. There is no guarantee that the piece will be played perfectly. In fact, it generally understood that no piece can ever be performed perfectly. But, in order to get as close as possible, students need to take risks in their playing. Risk taking leads to great leadership. Though taking risks is not the defining characteristic of a leader, and often can be negative, the most successful leaders in history were avid risk takers. If music is cut from schools, test scores will drop, creativity would decline, less leaders would exist, discipline and focus would decline, and people would be less coordinated. If it is true that music enhances all of these things, then it is only logical to assume that the absence of music would destroy these things. Music is a large part of our culture, and if there are no musicians to perform it, then it will all but disappear. Many professionals discovered music because of school. Suppressing this exposure can only lead to negative consequences, and not only in the field of music, but in the medical profession, law, economy, etc. And because music follows a progression, it must be kept in all grades. Cutting elementary music would have a similar effect to cutting music entirely. If districts and school boards would pay more attention to the facts, and also to the intrinsic benefit that musicians have, then I sincerely believe that society would be a better place.