Parent Resources

Why Make Music?

• Jenlink (1993) conducted a qualitative study of a school’s attempts to raise the self-esteem of its at-risk students by emphasizing the school’s music program. The author concluded that the music program lessened students’ feelings of alienation, promoted individual growth, and provided a common bond between the home and the school. Further, participation in the select musical performing group promoted goal attainment, teamwork, leadership, academic achievement, feelings of success, and cultural exposure.

• Schools that have music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than do those without music programs (90.2 percent as compared to 72.9 percent). In addition, those that rate their programs as “excellent or very good” have an even higher graduation rate (90.9 percent).

• An analysis of data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 demonstrated a significant correlation between participation in school music groups and achievement in math and English.

• Students in high-quality school music programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district.

• Scientific American’s (2010) board of editors asserted, “Studies have shown that assiduous instrument training from an early age can help the brain to process sounds better, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to tensor calculus.”