Benefits Of Music Education

There are numerous benefits of a comprehensive, well rounded music education. New brain research is and our perceptions of musical cognition have developed over the years, and below you will find listed some of the most common held views on the benefits of music education. If you are interested in more research-backed information, I encourage you to read Eric Jensen’s Music With The Brain In Mind.

Music Students:

Utilize both hemispheres of the brain when they perform music, both the language and the reasoning sides.
Have improved spatial intelligence.
Learn to form creative solutions.
Become independent and learn to work collaboratively.
Perform better on standardized tests than non-music students.
Appreciate aesthetics, the element of beauty.
Develop compassion and understanding of different cultures.
Have higher standards of themselves, and work to achieve “big picture” goals.
Know the value of practicing to perfect one’s craft.
Are less distracted and exhibit more self-discipline.
Develop a sense of self-expression
Learn how to take appropriate risks.
Build self confidence by displaying their skills in public.
Are less likely to abuse illegal substances.
Are enriched in science and math skills.

These benefits of music education are all wonderful in their own right, but it is essential that we stress to students that the greatest benefit of all is simply being able to create music for its own sake. Sure, it’s great that students are able to relate to other subject matters, and that they’ll statistically perform better on standardized tests. But at the end of the day, the fact that they have begun a lifelong appreciation for music, something which takes extreme dedication and skill refinement, is incredibly beautiful. And beauty and emotion are essential at a time in a student’s life where he or she is starting to shape his or her own values and judgements about society. Being focused on the beautiful rather the mundane makes an incredible difference in one’s outlook on life.