A debate with myself... why music education is important.

To discover both my own views on the benefits of music education and in an attempt to sort out and organize my own thoughts on both the non-musical benefits of music education and the respective reasons why those may reasons may not be the best course of action when attempting to advocate for the inclusion of music education programs.

 Non-musical benefits of music education are relatively easy to find and prove with impressive studies on the matter.  When sifting through these different resources, some studies seem to indicate a general trend as to certain areas in which music education can benefit education in general in ways that go beyond music.  These trends include: increased reading/language/vocabulary development, academic achievement (especially on test scores), increased success in society/life, and to a lessor degree social development.  

Take the increased reading/language/vocabulary development.  This is one of the most common citations of non-musical benefits.  Several studies from multiple sources (Abeles, Hoffer, & Klotman, 1995; Standley, 2008; Forgeard, Winner, Norton, & Schlaug, 2008; Wong, Skoe, Russo, & Kraus, 2007) all give similar testimony stating reading skills, auditory discrimination improvement in relation to language (such as sensitivity to speech sounds), and memory in context of both reading and language significantly increase when enrolled in the study of music.

Academic achievement also appears to increase when studying music.  Studies (Johnson, C., Memmott, 2007) and reports in numerous neuroscience publications, collegiate statistics, and music professors all provide the overwhelming proof that those who are in music have markedly better test scores in multiple subject areas than those that are not involved in music classes.

With society, life implications, and social skills I can attest they improve as evidenced through my own experience as music was the one realm in school that I felt most comfortable, and therefore was able to express myself to others with more confidence.  Studies and reports also show that being in music class can improve teamwork, and especially increase performance in school just by keeping students from dropping out by providing them a different activity to participate in while in school than most of the offerings provide (Abeles et al., 2008; Benefits of Music Education; Kelly, 2012).  Other studies show how many “successful” people in business and society had music as a background in school.

Unfortunately, it is not always a good idea to base all arguments to support a case for music education on reasoning that is divergent from the inherent properties that are unique to music education itself. 
First having to prove one’s point that music is viable and important in schools based on a slew of reasons that could be covered by just about any other subject or activity in school hardly seems to be a worthy rationale.  No other “legitimate” or “core” subject has to make such a claim, and for music educators to feel they must do so appears somewhat demeaning to both the educator and the subject itself if that is the sole reason for inclusion.

Secondly, Abeles states very succinctly that many of these “studies” have very little true proof to indicate that music is the cause as opposed to the result of many of these claimed improvements in student ability and success (1995, p.87).  Data is presented in very lofty fashion, but rarely are the results so startling and irrefutable that many cannot immediately poke holes in the both the reliability and validity of the research.  Part of the issue is that it is very difficult to definitively prove that just being around sounds while in a music class could magically confer all of the aforementioned improvements.  

Thirdly, music is something that everyone experiences on an almost daily basis; there is not need for multiple studies to prove this point.  If music is such a central aspect of our lives, why is it given such a low priority in many school systems?  From the time of the Greeks, it has been recognized that music is essential to our existence, and though the exact reasons for why and how it should be approached have differed and evolved over time, universally it has been accepted that the more individuals become learned in music, the better of they, and all of us will be.  

Finally, and probably most importantly, music does not need to stand on the shoulders of other subjects or benefits to be considered worthwhile.  There are enough documents (Abeles et al., 1995, Daugherty, 1996) that connect music to the human condition.  It is one of the unique ways that separate us from animals.  Unlike other arts, being trained in the study of “art” music helps teach concepts like delayed gratification and feeling/emotion (that can be individualized to each student) that are not adequately learned in any other subject area, including other arts.

I have always hated having to rely on research to prove why music is important.  I have known it for quite some time, though I lacked the skills to verbalize why.  This week’s reading and assignment have helped put these reasons into perspective, and help prove to myself what I already know.  The difference is that now I will be able to communicate my reasoning in a much more intelligent and hopefully convincing way!

References

Abeles, H., Hoffer, C., and Klotman, R.  (1995)  Foundations of Music Education (2^nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Schirmer Cemgage Learning.

Benefits of Music Education.  Children’s Music Workshop.  Retrieved online on May 16, 2014 from:  http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/benefits.html

Daugherty, J.  (1996).  Why Music Matters: The Cognitive Personalism of Reimer and Elliot.  Australian Journal of Music Education.  1, 29-37

Forgeard, M., Winner, E., Norton, A., and Schlaug, G. (2008). Practicing a musical instrument in childhood is associated with enhanced verbal ability and nonverbal reasoning. PloS One, 3(10), e3566.

Johnson, C. M. and Memmott, J. E. (2007). Examination of relationships between participation in school music programs of differing quality and standardized test results. Journal of Research in Music Education, 54(4), 293-307.

Kelly, S. N.  (October, 2012).  Fine Arts-Related Instruction’s Influence on Academic Success.  Florida Music Director.  Retrieved from https://cfaefl.org/dnn/Portals/cfae/advocacy/2010-2011%20Cohort%20Study.pdf

Standley, J. M.  (2008).  Does music instruction help children learn to read?  Evidence of a meta-analysis.  Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 27(1), 17-32.

Wong, P. Skoe, E., Russo, N., & Kraus. N. (2007). Musical experience shapes human brainstem encoding of linguistic pitch patterns. Nature Neuroscience.  10(4), 420-422.