Andrea Pecora

Mrs. Cramer
Comp Pd. 4
7 Dec. 2018
Harmonious Echoes: The Benefits of Music Education
Music is the unifying language of humanity. It not only allows us to communicate with

others, but also fosters a deeper understanding of the plethora of cultures and beliefs that fill the

world. Music education is important to society today, as it gives students insight on how to

function efficiently and successfully. Giving students an education in the arts gives them much

more than musical skill. It teaches them discipline and social literacy and exposes them to

different cultures that they may have never experienced if not for music.

Being involved in musical education leads to learning not only in the arts, but in other

subjects as well. In the words of Ken Petress in his work The Importance of Music Education:

“One needs to learn and be self-disciplined to practice, take instruction and criticism, and to

perform whether solo or as a member of a group.” This discipline, which is learned through

musical performance, translates nicely into other studies. In particular, STEM subjects that are

supported by artistic learning create students who think critically and work diligently. Musical

learning is associated with sound, fine motor skills, emotional sensitivity, and memorizing

complex material (Hallam). Interestingly enough, these specific skills are crucial in the ever-

pushed STEM curricula.

A study done by Dr. Christopher Johnson in 2007, found that students who attended

schools with larger music programs scored 17% higher on English standardized testing, and 33%

higher on mathematics testing. By these statistics, the benefits of having students in music

education grow even clearer. Helping students score higher on standardized tests opens a world
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of possibilities to them academically. This being said, even lower-level music programs showed

a benefit. Schools that offered minimal music education to their students saw an increase in

scores over those who had no musical education at all. This shows that even the smallest bit of

fine arts education can greatly influence the success of students, and lead them towards better

futures (Johnson).

In my personal experience, music has helped me understand the core subject of math

much more easily. Before I became involved in music, I struggled a lot with algebra, and found

myself fumbling with the subject year after year. After joining band and becoming active in the

music scene again, my math grades slowly rose. I always thought this was purely coincidence,

but I soon started drawing parallels between my musical journey and math classes. Because of

the counting and other mathematical concepts applied in learning music, I was able to apply the

similar circumstances to my precalculus class. Not only that, but I was able to manipulate the

numbers better because of the cognitive concepts I had to apply in my music classes. While this

is only my perspective, it has proven to me that learning music can affect the learning of other

subjects drastically. 1 By teaching students music, our school systems would be able to bring up

more successful and efficient thinkers. Overall, learning music to any extent aids in the student’s

performance in different subjects, such as the ever-pushed STEM subjects.

Alongside these benefits, learning music also aids in developing verbal and cognitive

literacy. Studies done in recent years have shown a stark connection between musical education

and language, mostly due to how it helps centers in the left side of the brain develop (Brown).

This research has shown that students who participate in some type of musical program in

1This anecdote shows a personal experience I have had that helps to make the point I’m making - that musical
education helps students advanced - stronger and more applicable to modern school students.
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schools experience myelinization (the coasting of nerves in a layer of fat, which insulates them

and creates quicker neural pathways) in the part of their brain used for communication and

language (Reimer). This being said, music education physically changes the minds of music

students to be quicker, sharper, and more efficient in areas of communication and language.

“Language competence is at the root of social competence. Musical experience strengthens the

capacity to be verbally competent.” (Brown). Music is to education as oxygen is to our cellular

functions – it is the key ingredient to keep things running smoothly. 2 In the grand scheme of

things, music education is imperative in a complete curriculum, because without it students are

not given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Some may argue that funding the fine arts steals funding from subjects deemed more

important, namely those in the STEM programs. While some of the money is indeed being used

for musical education, the advantages students get from this knowledge will greatly aid them in

excelling in STEM classes. According to The Guardian, students who take music classes

showcase scores that trend well above those who are not involved in any type of arts education.

Thus, funding the fine arts alongside STEM programs can actually enhance the students’ STEM

education, leading to a more successful learning experience. This success in school can lead to

success in society, success in personal affairs, and ultimately success in life. 3 Ultimately, music

education does nothing but enhance the learning experience and make it the most beneficial it

can be for each individual student. It allows them to not only express themselves, but also learn

priceless skills that can be applied either in or our of the classroom.

2This analogy highlights the similarities between oxygen in cells and music in education to accentuate how
important the arts are to quality learning.
3 This anaphora utilizes the repetition of a word/phrase to accentuate the weight of how musical education

influences success in many areas.

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Another stance that may be taken against musical education is that it does not prepare

students for job opportunities in the future. This is simply untrue, because not only does it allow

students to understand their areas of study easier, it helps build social skills and other skills (such

as discipline and dedication) that are priceless in the workplace. As stated earlier, any musical

learning done helps develop areas of the brain associated with communication and language.

This is true, but there is more. Our cerebral cortex organizes itself when we do certain activities

and is able to find connections between similar stimuli we experience. With this information, our

brain is able to apply similarly-learned knowledge to new situations (Hallam). This means that,

by learning music, not only are students able to communicate more effectively, but are also more

adaptable in the workplace. Wherever they decide to go in the future, be it a four-year degree or

going to trade school, musically educated students will fare much better than their non-musical

counterparts.

In conclusion, students that have an education in music gain more than simply a musical

skill. It teaches them self-discipline, social skills, and gives them a look at cultures they may

have never experienced before. Overall, students who are involved in some kind of musical

education understand and retain information better than their peers. This is tied to the skills, such

as self-discipline and working as a team, that stem from learning music. In the end, music is

crucial to the effectiveness of learning core STEM subjects and should be seen as a necessary

part of a complete curriculum.

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Works Cited

Brown, Laura Lewis. “The Benefits of Music Education.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 25

May 2012, www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/.

Hallam, Susan. “The Power of Music.” Legacy.laphil.com, University of London,

legacy.laphil.com/sites/default/files/media/pdfs/shared/education/yola/susan-hallam-

music-development_research.pdf

Johnson, Christopher. “How Children Benefit from Music Education in Schools.” NAMM

Foundation, 9 June 2014, www.nammfoundation.org/articles/2014-06-09/how-children-

benefit-music-education-schools.

Petress, Ken. "The importance of music education." Education, vol. 126, no. 1, 2005, p. 112+.

Academic OneFile,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A136846797/AONE?u=pl1949&sid=AONE&xid=32

e7ffdb. Accessed 19 Sept. 2018.

Reimer, Bennett. “New Brain Research on Emotion and Feeling: Dramatic Implications for

Music Education.” Journal of Research in Education, Eastern Educational Research

Association. George Watson, Marshall University, One John Marshall Drive, College of

Education and Professional Development, Huntington

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