How To Defend Music Education

Being a music student in high school, I witnessed the budget cuts in music education first hand. In orchestra, whenever we wanted to get new pieces of music it was always a struggle to pay for them. Sometimes we would use pieces that we already played from past years. In band, there have much bigger instruments. To save the students a daily struggle of carrying a large instrument home and to school, the county would attempt to give the musicians an instrument to keep at school so they didn’t have to carry their personal instruments all over. This soon become a problem as they were quickly running out of instruments to give the students. A lot of us were left in awe because we would hear the argument that “the county received a budget overall, there is nothing we can do about it”, but see new computers and machinery given to the technology students.

Many times I have heard, “Studies have shown that students involved in music, perform better in mathematics and sciences”. And recently it has become an argument as to why we should save the arts. While this may be true, I don’t think that is the proper way to defend music education and funding. Students don’t enter the music world thinking “If I’m good at playing this instrument, I’ll be better at math!” it doesn’t work that way. It may be a requirement for graduation to participate in an arts, so some students may feel forced but that’s not often the case. When you are truly involved and passionate about the arts, it is a feeling that cannot be mimicked or imitated.  

Saying music education helps student in math and sciences is like saying analyzing Shakespeare is only good for math. Music education isn’t for only making people smarter, it’s greater than that. It allows you to explore your emotions, limits, and so much more.

When defending music education it should be in a way that proves that music is good for ITSELF and not for other things.

HOW TO DEFEND MUSIC EDUCATION

Music provides so many lasting skills that can be used in numerous way. Memorization, coordination, discipline, teamwork. Running a piece again and again seems as if it can get tiring but each time something different appears. Unintentionally you memorize the notes so new ways to express the music can be found. Discipline comes into play because you have to take the time to actually practice. Coordination, when all the pieces come together and your movement is flowing and natural while you work as a team.

Defend music education in the way of allowing individuals to improve themselves.  It’s an amazing sense of achievement when you finally get through the part that had you stuck for days or even weeks. It takes persistence and patience. It helps with character building, it strengthens confidence.

Creative thinking takes off. Musicians are equipped with fine-tuned auditory skills. The task of tuning an instrument before it is played, allows you learn its proper pitch while attention is important to the tiny details. Spending time performing and learning other musicians work provides you with ability to be able to create your own. With learning all the notes and keys, why not create a piece yourself? The more you experience, you realize that you know less than you thought. Therefore, ones imagination is a wonderful thing. The limitless amount of melodies and tunes goes to support that.  This touches in on imaginative and intellectual curiosity.

Relaxation. Everyone needs a break once in a while. When involved in music, it can become very stressful but it also provides you with an escape. Everywhere you go there is music. So, when musicians need a break from playing, they can just listen to music and appreciate the art of another person.

Music for life. Music is life. Music is everlasting. You can be the hottest person in sports right now but your body can withstand that your whole life. Someone who is 60/70 years old isn’t going to be able to have the same physical abilities that they had at younger ages but music stays with you. It is a quality that can be built upon for many, many years. You can always learn more and find different ways to excel.  

How Does Music Impact Us?

“Okay, look at the key signature. This piece is in 4/4. About half way through the song it changes to allegro. Firsts, you have the melody for the most part, but it bounces between you and the violas at measure 39. Make sure you listen across your sections to blend the quality! Pay attention to the dynamics!!! During measures 57-59, watch how it goes from pianissimo to fortissimo. Please, don’t ignore that. Okay, let’s clap the rhythm. STOP! Count your rests! Don’t be timid, it’s better to be loud and wrong than not to be heard at all. Any questions? Okay, let’s play …1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4.” This was my instructor before every sight reading piece we had to perform.

Every year, every section of our music program had to attend “Festival”. So for months every choir, every band, and orchestra spent countless hours rehearsing 3 pieces, a warm-up and two judged pieces. After our performances, we couldn’t even take a breath of relief because we had to go to sight reading. Sight-readings, I remember how much I dreaded them, but they had to be done. We have a few minutes to go over a piece that we have never seen before and then, play it for a judge. My experiences have always ended well, as we were awarded high scores and had to repeat it all but this time at a higher level.

My music education started in 2^nd grade with the basic recorder and singing classes. In 5^th grade I decided to start playing the violin. I was terrible at it, I remember the instructor stopping the class to tell me that I was holding the instrument completely wrong. But, somehow throughout the years I managed to learn how to play the piano, violin, viola, and a little bit of the baritone.

courtesy of flickr

Through all these years of music, I have learned things that I could not have learned from anything else. Being in music allows you to not only grow as a person, it allows you to learn how to support others, mentor others, how to express yourself, how to analyze … the list goes on and on. On the other hand, in other subjects students focus on their individual grades and goals, there’s not much time to learn how to work together. In the real world, you have to work together. In ensembles you HAVE to work together. You have to listen in order to match tone, quality, and style. It’s something like being on a sports team. It’s an experience that is irreplaceable.

Now, many people argue that music is a hobby or that you have a very slim chance to make any money from it, but who are they to say that? How can someone attempt to tell you what is valuable to yourself? Not to mention, music is universal and a multi-billion dollar industry. What’s truly more important, money or happiness? That’s a question that everyone has to answer for them themselves, whether you’re interested in arts or not. I believe that is a major issue in our society as more and more people are picking money over happiness which leaves a lasting impact on them in many negative ways.

Let’s say you aren’t an arts fanatic but you listen to music because you feel it helps with expression or you just find it enjoyable. You know what music does for the listeners, now imagine what it does for the performers. Not to say that music is the only thing that brings people happiness, it does impact every part of our lives. Can you imagine a day without music? No, so how can you expect to reduce funding? From grocery stores to elevators, there’s almost always music being played. There’s no escaping it. It’s something that stays in your life forever.

Follow my posts as I speak about the “right” ways to defend music education, the impact it has on the world around us, and more of my stories.

Thanks for reading J