Music Education

Music Education

Did you listen to you mother when she asked you to take piano lessons? Were you still taking piano lessons one week later? If not, today I'm going to try and make feel very bad for not listening to your mother.

According to the web site for VH1 "Save the Music" program, "Research has shown that involvement in music programs improves a child's early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, self-esteem, SAT scores, self-discipline, ability to work in teams, spatial reasoning skills, and school attendance. Also, children involved with music education are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and less likely to be involved with gangs and substance abuse."

Just like most of you, I gave learning the piano the week later. But, six months ago, I realized my mom was right all this while. I picked up the guitar and made the attempt to learn how to play it. Today my guitar provides me with ample entertainment, if I'm bored I pick up my guitar. In the next couple of minutes I'm going to try and convince you to go home, borrow your roommates guitar and play a string or two.

Playing a Musical Instrument

1) Improves your cognitive skills

2) Helps express oneself (emotionally or creatively)

3) And finally it's simply a fun and constructive way to pass time

1) Improves your cognitive skills:

a. In the April 23, 1998 issue of Nature, Researchers at the University of Munster in Germany reported their discovery music lessons in childhood actually enlarge the brain. An area used to analyze the pitch of a musical note is enlarged 25% in musicians, compared to people who have never played an instrument. The findings suggest the area is enlarged through practice and experience. The earlier the musicians were when they started musical training, the bigger this area of the brain appears to be.

b. If you want to increase your vocabulary then the best way to do it might be to pick up a guitar, or learn the violin. A new study suggests that learning to play a musical instrument enhances the brain's ability to remember words. "Adults with music training in their childhood demonstrate better verbal memory," said Dr. Agnes Chan of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, who did the research. "They can remember things that you tell them better than those who did not have music training when they were young."

The results were of a recent study were remarkable.