Why Music?

When parents consider signing their kids up for music lessons, there's a very important question that they need to ask themselves, whether implicitly or explicitly, and that is why music? What makes taking music lessons so important in the development of young learners' brains? What do they get out of music lessons which they can't get somewhere else? Is paying for the cost of music lessons worth it? I offer a few reasons why I think music is such a uniquely important part of any person's development.

Music is connection.

One of the unique aspects of music is its ability to connect us with the world around us. When we learn how to play music of different styles, eras, and cultures, we are forming a connection to a part of the world that we may not be able to directly experience. By playing Beethoven, we can be transported to Europe during the Romantic era. When we play jazz, we can experience the roaring 20s and the swing era. When we play Claire de lune, we can be taken away to a faraway place, as we connect to our inner emotions in ways only Debussy can do. Music can transport us to distant lands and lead us to a deeper understanding of our own self in ways nothing else can. When students learn how to compose, they learn how to connect their emotions and express themselves in new and unique ways. They can show the world more of who they are through melody, harmony, and rhythm.

Music is challenging.

One of the first things new students will realize when they start lessons is how challenging music can be. Performing music for 99% of people is difficult, no matter how much "talent" they are said to have. Taking music lessons will help students learn good work ethic and practice habits that can be transferred to other areas of their lives. No matter what our culture says, I do not believe music comes naturally to most people, I think successful musicians figure out how to push through challenging times and put in the time it takes to be successful. Grit is a word that I would use to describe the act of persevering through difficult times in order to achieve a goal. Grit is a skill needed for any student in any area of life if they want to be successful. Music teaches students how to develop grit by presenting them with new and difficult skills that take time and perseverance in order to be successful.

Music is valuable.

When speaking of music, I could point to many studies that prove how music makes students better at school, increase test scores, etc. One thing that gets missed in these truths is that music on its own has value. Music can stand on its own two feet. We don't need to try and sell music to society, because when we look around at our society, we see that music really is essential. There is music involved at all levels of society, from sporting events to protests, coffee houses to funerals, we all use music every day to better our lives and enhance society. There is a value to music that is worth pursuing and sharing with the world.

When deciding whether to pursue music lessons, there are many factors. Rest assured that the pursuit of music and all of the life skills learned along the way is worth it. Now get practicing.