Value of Music Education

Why Music Education Matters:

ü Students that study music performance score consistently statistically higher on standardized tests and college entrance exams (Source: The College Entrance Examination Board)

ü Schools with quality music education programs have higher student attendance and graduation rates. (Source:  The Journal - Transforming Education Through Technology)

ü Secondary students who participate in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse). (Source:  Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse)

ü Learning to play a musical instrument during early child development has been proven to increase spacial-temporal reasoning in brain function increasing long term memory function by up to 34% as compared to their peers with no early musical training. (Source: Neurological Research)

ü Students exposed to multicultural music in the classroom are more globally aware and more collaborative with their multicultural peers. (Source:  Science Direct)

ü Listening to or performing live choral music lowers the stress hormones cortisol, glucocorticoid and progesterone.  (Source: Faculty of Medicine at the Imperial College of London)

ü Playing a musical instrument statistically improves hand-eye coordination development at rates higher than any other activity.  (Source: Oxford Academic)

ü Children exposed to a multi-year music training program demonstrate increased reading comprehension and fluency as compared to their non-music-trained peers.  (Source: Science Daily)

ü Students who are consistently involved in instrumental music through middle and high school years show significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12. (Source: Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning)

ü Music teaches the skills that the 21st century work force needs to succeed — communication, discipline, creativity, teamwork, responsibility and problem solving (Source:  The Sentinel)

ü "The very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry are, nearly without exception, practicing musicians." ( Source: Grant Venerable, “The Paradox of the Silicon Savior,”)

ü The nation’s top business executives agree that arts education programs can help repair weaknesses in American education and better prepare workers for the 21st century.(Source: “The Changing Workplace is Changing Our View of Education.”  Business Week)

And the list goes on and on……