Music Advocacy
“Music students out-perform non-music on achievement tests in reading and math. Skills such as reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration are developed in musical performance, and these skills are valuable to students in math, reading and science.”
– B. Friedman, “An Evaluation of the Achievement in Reading and Arithmetic of Pupils in Elementary School Instrumental Music Classes.
“Students who are rhythmically skilled also tend to better plan, sequence, and coordinate actions in their daily lives.”
-“Cassidy Column,” TCAMS Professional Resource Center, 2000.
“A ten-year study indicates that students who study music achieve higher test scores, regardless of socioeconomic background.”
-Dr. James Catterall, UCLA.
A study published in 2000 revealed that music students possessing the ability to perform complex rhythms also are able to make faster and more accurate corrections in many academic and physical circumstances.
-Center for Timing, Coordination and Motor Skills, 2000.
“The things I learned from my experience in music in school are discipline, perseverance, dependability, composure, courage and pride in results….Not a bad preparation for the workforce!”
-Gregory Anrig – President, Educational Testing Service.
“Two research projects have found that music training – specifically piano instruction – can dramatically enhance children’s spatial-temporal reasoning skills, the skills crucial for greater success in subjects like math and science.”
– Shaw, Grazianow and Peterson. Neurological Research, March 1999.
In a study published in Newsweek magazine, researchers indicated that during the early developmental years, children’s brain neurons are being “wired”. This provides a window of opportunity which must not be missed if children are to achieve their full potential. “Circuits in different regions of the brain mature at different times. As a result, different circuits are most sensitive to life’s experiences at different ages. Give your children the experiences they need when they need it and anything’s possible. Stumble and all bets are off.”
-Newsweek Magazine