Music Education: The Key to Student Success

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A school’s curriculum stands by the three “Rs” – reading, writing, and arithmetic – but what about rhythm? Because of budget cuts, many schools throughout the United States have thrown their chorus, orchestra, and band programs into the pile of the “over” and “done with.” In multiple cases, music programs get the boot just because there are no standardized tests for it. Schools like these could not be bringing a greater injustice upon students. Music programs are special in the way that they benefit every aspect of the pupil. It has been proven that music education better shapes the mind, body, and heart of all involved, making music unique and vital to the education system. Music education should be supported by schools because it promotes healthy living, improves brain function, and transforms students into better citizens.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and music classes at school do, too. Music education helps to keep bodies healthy and fit. An experiment done by researchers in Frankfurt, Germany, revealed that the amounts of immunoglobin A and hydrocortisone in the body increased for a chorus while they were singing. Hydrocortisone, a calming anti-stress hormone, and immunoglobin A, which functions as antibodies, help to support the immune system. (“Scientists say singing boosts immune system.”) Students, then, would especially benefit from a choral program in their school. Most students stress about classes, lack sleep, and eat a poor diet. These unfortunate habits add up for a recipe of disaster on the body’s ability to ward off sickness. Chorus classes integrated into the school day is an easy way to keep immune systems up without taking more time out of students and stressing them out even more. A powerful immune ...

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Marie Foregard, Ellen Winner, Andrea Norton, Gottfried Schlaug. “Practicing a Musical

Reasoning.” plosone.org. Foregard, Winner, Norton, Gottfriend, 29 Oct 2008. Web. 4 Sep 2011.

Phillips, Carolyn. “Twelve Benefits of Music Education.” childrensmusicworkschop.com.

Children’s Music Workshop, n.d. Web. 30 Aug 2011.

Schewe, Phillip F. “Music Improves Brain Function.” livescience.com. LiveScience, 6 Nov 2009,

Web. 5 Sep 2011.

“Scientists Say Singing Boosts Immune System.” abc.net.au. ABC News, 19 Jan 2004. Web. 28

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Trei, Lisa. “Musical Training Helps Language Processing, Studies Show.”news.standford.edu.

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