Why band?

Students of the arts continue to outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT, according to reports by the College Entrance Examination Board. A recent report from the College Board found that students in music performance groups scored 57 points higher on the critical reading, 43 points higher on the math and 58 points higher on writing than students with no arts participation; students in music appreciation scored 62 points higher on verbal, 41 points higher on math and 61 on writing. - The College Board, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report.

While learning in other disciplines may often focus on development of a single skill or talent, the arts regularly engage multiple skills and abilities. Music requires the integration of eye-hand coordination, rhythm, tonality, symbol recognition and interpretation, attention span, and other factors that represent synthetic aspects of human intelligence. In addition, critical thinking, problem-solving, and learning how to work cooperatively toward shared goals are all skills which are reinforced through music education.

Music is one of the seven intelligences identified in the brain and the only one that utilizes all seven intelligences simultaneously. Students who participate in music courses exercise more of their brain than in any other course they take in school.

Band reinforces the skills of cooperation which are among the qualities now most highly valued in business and industry, especially in high-tech contexts. Members are required to shift from an I/Me focus to a We/Us focus. Instead of the logic being, "what's in it for me," it becomes, "what's in it for us?" Band is a group effort which focuses on group goals and the completion of those goals in each and every rehearsal and performance.

The benefits conveyed by music education can be grouped into four categories

• Success in Society

• Success in School

• Success in Developing Intelligence

• Success in Life