A note from our co-founder, Jessica Sherer:
Over the years, I've come across a lot of literature regarding the impact of studying music. I've read studies on the correlation of music with cognition in young and old, with academic performance, with language acquisition, emotional development, self-discipline, grit, long-term success, and many others. I've also read a number of opinion pieces on why we should stop justifying the study of music via correlations with other skills and prioritize it purely for its art.
The simple truth is that both sides of the coin are valid and important. Music is an art form with tremendous history and influence. It has the power to connect us with our past, to comfort us, to excite us, to scare us, to make us cry or feel sentimental or grieve or celebrate. It is more intimately connected to our emotional spectrum than perhaps anything else we could possibly study, and that is reason enough to make sure that children learn and experience it from a young age. It is our responsibility to make sure that they do not miss out on this most sacred experience.
And yet, there is no denying that music does improve cognition and is a powerful learning tool in its own right. We teach our children to sing their alphabet to aid in memorization. My own aunt coped with her dyslexia by learning to sing her multiplication tables, and speech therapists use it to combat stuttering. In my five years at the Atlanta Music Project, I watched music turn disadvantaged children into ambitious, gritty, curious, determined learners who think independently and reason their way through problems without giving up.
When we assess the value of music education, we can look at either side of the coin - but I think it's much more effective if we realize that the two sides are part of the same coin. It is impossible, and unnecessary, to separate them or decide which is more important or more worthy of study. The reason we are having this debate is that both sides carry heavy weight - enough weight to be worthwhile on their own. But music, unlike many other disciplines, has both to offer, and that makes it particularly powerful. While our students immerse themselves in the overwhelming power of this most sacred art, they are simultaneously acquiring all of the other skills that the study of music has to offer. It is all of these things together that make music unique and essential to a well-balanced education.
Below, please find some of my favorite ideas on music and its impact on youth, education, and the world, including my own TEDx talk with students from the Atlanta Music Project.
Over the years, I've come across a lot of literature regarding the impact of studying music. I've read studies on the correlation of music with cognition in young and old, with academic performance, with language acquisition, emotional development, self-discipline, grit, long-term success, and many others. I've also read a number of opinion pieces on why we should stop justifying the study of music via correlations with other skills and prioritize it purely for its art.
The simple truth is that both sides of the coin are valid and important. Music is an art form with tremendous history and influence. It has the power to connect us with our past, to comfort us, to excite us, to scare us, to make us cry or feel sentimental or grieve or celebrate. It is more intimately connected to our emotional spectrum than perhaps anything else we could possibly study, and that is reason enough to make sure that children learn and experience it from a young age. It is our responsibility to make sure that they do not miss out on this most sacred experience.
And yet, there is no denying that music does improve cognition and is a powerful learning tool in its own right. We teach our children to sing their alphabet to aid in memorization. My own aunt coped with her dyslexia by learning to sing her multiplication tables, and speech therapists use it to combat stuttering. In my five years at the Atlanta Music Project, I watched music turn disadvantaged children into ambitious, gritty, curious, determined learners who think independently and reason their way through problems without giving up.
When we assess the value of music education, we can look at either side of the coin - but I think it's much more effective if we realize that the two sides are part of the same coin. It is impossible, and unnecessary, to separate them or decide which is more important or more worthy of study. The reason we are having this debate is that both sides carry heavy weight - enough weight to be worthwhile on their own. But music, unlike many other disciplines, has both to offer, and that makes it particularly powerful. While our students immerse themselves in the overwhelming power of this most sacred art, they are simultaneously acquiring all of the other skills that the study of music has to offer. It is all of these things together that make music unique and essential to a well-balanced education.
Below, please find some of my favorite ideas on music and its impact on youth, education, and the world, including my own TEDx talk with students from the Atlanta Music Project.
VIDEOS:
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ARTICLES:
Music School Central:
HOW THIS ONE NYC MUSIC SCHOOL IS CHANGING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC EDUCATION
The Wall Street Journal:
A MUSICAL FIX FOR AMERICAN SCHOOLS
HOW THIS ONE NYC MUSIC SCHOOL IS CHANGING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC EDUCATION
The Wall Street Journal:
A MUSICAL FIX FOR AMERICAN SCHOOLS