Music is Essential
Music education is an essential part of the academic curriculum and a vital part of a complete education. It offers tools for personal, intellectual and social growth. The ability to achieve across the curriculum is enhanced through the study of music.
Music provides varied methods of communicating ideas, thoughts and feelings. It encourages teamwork and leadership skills. Poise and self-esteem are enhanced, increasing the potential for life success and enriching the quality of life.
It is my desire to open doors for my students to be exposed to an array of musical thoughts, ideas and feelings, in the belief that they will grow and benefit from opening their minds to new musical experiences.
Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically-trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. -Strait, D.L. and N. Kraus, "Biological impact of auditory expertise across the life-span: musicians as a model of auditory learning"; Hearing Research, 2013.
Individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. -"Music, hearing, and education: from the lab to the classroom"; quoted in Northwestern University, September/October 2017.
Research shows that making music changes the brain and that these brain changes have tangible impacts on listening skills, learning and cognition. -"Music, hearing, and education: from the lab to the classroom"; quoted in Northwestern University, September/October 2017.