Music education: the many benefits for children
Print Edition
WHETHER your child becomes the next Beethoven or they simply develop a love for music, all children benefit from music education. In fact, learning and playing music is comparable to “taking your brain to the gym,” and therefore, music plays an important role in developing young brains.
According to Dr Nadine Gaab, associate professor of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Harvard Medical School, “There are a lot of different brain systems involved in successfully playing even a small musical piece: your auditory system, your motor system, your emotional system, your executive function system; this playing together of these brain regions is almost like (playing) in a musical ensemble.”
Although the brain benefits children experience from learning an instrument are clear, a school’s music program should be focused on developing students’ skills in music and beyond. At one school in Shanghai, Yew Chung International School (YCIS), music education starts early and is purposely integrated into the curriculum in Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary to help children intentionally develop a number of skills through their levels of learning and maturation. The school understands that music, while important to study for its intrinsic value, also promotes many skills that are critical in both academic and life pursuits.
Kindergarten years — fostering an appreciation
On a basic level, a strong music program can help develop students’ lifelong appreciation for the arts. At YCIS, children are introduced to a range of music and instruments in the Early Childhood Education, or Kindergarten, program. The “Learning Through Play”-style curriculum encourages children to explore and get creative through a variety of mediums, including music. Veronica Martin, ECE coordinator at the Regency Park campus, explains, “We have our Kindergarten students listen and ‘try’ a range of musical instruments so they start to first become excited about music. As parents, if you want your children to take an interest in something such as music, it’s important and helpful for them to be given the opportunity to have first-hand experiences with music and instruments.”
Primary years — building skillsets
The Primary years of a child’s education help build a foundation of skills vital for all future learning. In these critical years, students can develop proficiencies in particular instruments, and music can also serve as a vehicle to develop skillsets they will use throughout their lives. At YCIS, students in Primary experience music every week through the school’s unique violin program, in which all students from Years 1-3 take violin lessons, along with other music classes, helping to establish the groundwork for all other music programs they will participate in throughout Primary and High School. Although there are many musical benefits of learning the violin, the school has found that children learning the instrument gain an abundance of additional payoffs. Cherry Chen, music coordinator at the school’s Hongqiao campus, says, “Learning the violin helps enhance students’ memory skills, stimulates their imagination and creativity, and advances their personal development. Learning to play a new instrument also requires patience, discipline, and self-control. When students are in the classroom, they need to focus and listen to the teacher, and performing on stage helps students develop poise and confidence.”
Secondary years — opening up university and career opportunities
For students interested in pursing a career in the arts, participating in a well-developed music program can certainly open the doors to numerous university and career options. Sally Davis, Head of Performing Arts at YCIS’s Gubei campus, comments, “Each year, our senior students continue to shine as performers, and their level of dedication to their art has been reflected in university acceptances to colleges such as Berklee College of Music, Eastman School of Music, Royal Northern College, and the Royal Academy.” Furthermore, a robust arts program can provide additional opportunities for students beyond pure musical pursuits. This year, a Year 13 student at the school’s Gubei campus, Melody, has been accepted at Loyola Marymount University in the US where she will be studying film production. She attributes her interest in film production to her involvement in the YCIS music program, starting in Year 2 in the violin program and extending throughout her IB high school years. She says, “YCIS values creativity. In my IGCSE and IB music courses, our teachers especially encouraged us to think outside the box. This helped me to develop my own ingenuity and I can’t wait to further explore my creative side in college and my future career.”
A school’s music education program can help your child become a true musician, and the related, additional benefits will have a long lasting impact. By participating in a strong music program, like the one found at YCIS Shanghai, children are certain to develop many lifelong skills that will benefit them as they progress through the ‘stages’ of their future.
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