Why study and perform music?

• "A performing group is a microcosm of society. In addition to well-documented skills related to music reading, self-expression, self-discipline and concentration, performers become independent. There is no more important skill required in a democratic society than that of sharing common goals with others and working together to achieve them."

  • • • • • • • • - Sally Schott, Past TMEA President

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• • Music training and brain plasticity: The effects of music training in relation to brain plasticity have caused excitement, evident from the popularity of books on this topic among scientists and the general public. Research from a number of labs has shown that music training leads to substantial changes throughout the brain. This effect of music training suggests that, akin to physical exercise and its impact on body fitness, music is a resource that tones the brain for auditory fitness. Therefore, the role of music in shaping individual development deserves consideration. We study mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity as a function of music training and examine the functional ramifications of enhanced brain function in musicians.

HOW MUSIC EDUCATION BENEFITS THE BRAIN

Dr. Nina Kraus is the Hugh Knowles Professor of Communication Sciences, Neurobiology, and Otolaryngology at Northwestern University. She is the scientist inventor and amateur musician who uses hearing as a window into brain health. Through a series of innovative studies involving thousands of research participants from birth to age 90, her research has found that our lives in sound, and our experiences, for better (musicians, bilinguals) and for worse (concussion, language disorders, aging), shape how our brain makes sense of the sounds we hear. Using the principles of neuroscience to improve human communication, she advocates for best practices in education, health, and social policy. The learn more about Dr. Kraus and how music education benefits the brain, see the article HERE.