| The idea that studying music improves the | | | | found that pattern recognition and mental |
| social development of a child is not a new | | | | representation scores improved significantly |
| one, but at last there is incontrovertible | | | | for students given piano instruction over a |
| evidence from a study conducted out of the | | | | three-year period. The researchers also found |
| University of Toronto.The study, published in | | | | that self-esteem and musical skills measures |
| the August issue of Psychological Science was | | | | improved for the students given piano |
| led by Dr. E. Glenn Schellenberg, and | | | | instruction.And data from the National |
| examined the effect of extra-curricular | | | | Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 revealed |
| activities on the intellectual and social | | | | music participants received more academic |
| development of six-year-old children. A group | | | | honors and awards than non-music students, |
| of 144 children were recruited through an ad | | | | and that the percentage of music participants |
| in a local newspaper and assigned randomly to | | | | receiving As, As/Bs, and Bs was higher than |
| one of four activities: piano lessons, voice | | | | the percentage of non- participants receiving |
| lessons, drama lessons, or no lessons.Two | | | | those grades.In 1994, a report entitled "The |
| types of music lessons were offered in order | | | | Case For Music Study In Schools" was printed |
| to be able to generalize the results, while | | | | in Phi Delta Kappan, the professional print |
| the groups receiving drama lessons or no | | | | journal for education. It included details of |
| lessons were considered control groups in | | | | research conducted by physician and biologist |
| order to test the effect of music lessons | | | | Lewis Thomas, who studied the undergraduate |
| over other art lessons requiring similar | | | | majors of medical school applicants. Thomas |
| skill sets and nothing at all. The activities | | | | found that 66 percent of music majors who |
| were provided for one year.The participating | | | | applied to medical school were admitted, the |
| children were given IQ tests before and after | | | | highest percentage of any group.The same |
| the lessons. The results of this study | | | | report asserted that the very best engineers |
| revealed that increases in IQ from pre- to | | | | and technical designers in the Silicon Valley |
| post-test were larger in the music groups | | | | industry were, almost without exception, |
| than in the two others. Generally these | | | | practicing musicians.The world's top academic |
| increases occurred across IQ subtests, index | | | | countries also place a high value on music |
| scores, and academic achievement.While music | | | | education. In a study of the ability of |
| teachers across the country greeted the new | | | | fourteen year-old science students in |
| research enthusiastically, in fact, many | | | | seventeen countries, the top three countries |
| other studies have previously shown a | | | | were Hungary, the Netherlands, and Japan. All |
| correlation between music study and academic | | | | three include music throughout the curriculum |
| achievement.In 1997, well known music | | | | from kindergarten through high school.St. |
| researchers Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw and | | | | Augustine Bronx elementary school, about to |
| their team at the University of California | | | | fail in 1984, implemented an intensive music |
| (Irvine) reported that music training is far | | | | program, and today 90 percent of the school's |
| superior to computer instruction in | | | | students are reading at or above grade level. |
| dramatically enhancing children's abstract | | | | And a ten-year study at UCLA tracked more |
| reasoning skills, the skills necessary for | | | | than 25,000 students, and showed that music |
| learning math and science. A group led by the | | | | making improves test scores. Regardless of |
| same two scientists had earlier showed that | | | | socio-economic background, music-making |
| after eight months of piano lessons, | | | | students get higher marks in standardized |
| preschoolers showed a 46 percent boost in | | | | tests than those who had no music |
| their spatial reasoning IQ.The March 1999 | | | | involvement. The test scores studied were not |
| issue of Neurological Research published a | | | | only standardized tests, such as the SAT, but |
| report by another group of researchers, also | | | | also in reading proficiency exams.Music |
| at the University of California (Irvine), who | | | | training helps under-achievers as well, |
| found that second-grade students given four | | | | according to research published in Nature |
| months of piano keyboard training, as well as | | | | magazine in May 1996. In Rhode Island, |
| time playing newly designed computer | | | | researchers studied eight public school first |
| software, scored 27% higher on proportional | | | | grade classes. Half of the classes became |
| math and fractions tests than other | | | | "test arts" groups, receiving ongoing music |
| children.Students with coursework and | | | | and visual arts training. In kindergarten, |
| experience in music performance and music | | | | this group had lagged behind in scholastic |
| appreciation scored higher on the SAT, | | | | performance. After seven months, the students |
| according to a Profile of Program Test Takers | | | | were given a standardized test. The "test |
| released by the Princeton, NJ, College | | | | arts" group had caught up to their fellow |
| Entrance Examination Board in 2001. This | | | | students in reading and surpassed their |
| report stated that students in music | | | | classmates in math by 22 percent. In the |
| performance scored 57 points higher on the | | | | second year of the project, the arts students |
| verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and | | | | widened this margin even further. Students |
| students in music appreciation scored 63 | | | | were also evaluated on attitude and behavior. |
| points higher on verbal and 44 points higher | | | | Classroom teachers noted improvement in these |
| on the math, than did students with no arts | | | | areas also.In 2005, it appears the pace of |
| participation.Another part of this same study | | | | scientific research into music making has |
| shows that longer music study means higher | | | | never been greater. The most recent evidence |
| SAT scores. For example, students | | | | from the University of Toronto confirms what |
| participating in the arts for two years | | | | many other researchers have already detected |
| averaged 29 points higher on the verbal | | | | - that music boosts brainpower, academic |
| portion and 18 points higher on the math | | | | achievement,socialization skills, and |
| portion of the SAT than students with no | | | | emotional health.It's logical, when you think |
| coursework or experience in the arts. | | | | about it. People who learn to play an |
| Students with four or more years in the arts | | | | instruments are in groups -- bands, choirs, |
| scored 57 points higher and 39 points higher | | | | orchestras, combos, worship teams, etc. And |
| on the verbal and math portions respectively | | | | working and making music with others is bound |
| than students with no arts coursework.Another | | | | to help relateabilty with people and foster |
| study also found support for a relationship | | | | close bonds with fellow musicians.So it |
| between math achievement and participation in | | | | appears that learning to play music, whether |
| instrumental music instruction. The | | | | guitar, piano, or some other instrument, |
| researchers found that students who | | | | actually does contribute to your ability to |
| participated in instrumental music | | | | "win friends and influence people."Duane |
| instruction in high school took on the | | | | Shinn is the author of over 500 music books |
| average 2.9 more advanced math courses then | | | | and products such as DVD's, CD's, musical |
| did students who did not participate.In fact, | | | | games for kids, chord charts, musical |
| various studies over the last 10 years | | | | software, and piano lesson instructional |
| suggest teaching kids music can heighten | | | | courses for adults. He holds an advanced |
| their aptitude for math, reading, and | | | | degree from Southern Oregon University and |
| engineering. (One explanation for improved | | | | was the founder of Piano University in |
| ability in mathematics is that music theory | | | | Southern Oregon. He can be reached at He is |
| is based on mathematical truths. Rhythms are | | | | the author of the popular free 101-week |
| divided into fractions - half notes, quarter | | | | e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of |
| notes and eighth notes. Scales have eight | | | | Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" |
| tones, and the steps between them follow an | | | | with over 55,000 current subscribers. |
| equation.)A McGill University study in 1998 | | | | |