Fundamental or Frill?
by Gloria Sinaguglia, Retired Choral and Orchestral Director at Stamford Public Schools, PROJECT MUSIC Board Member and Joyce DiCamillo, Pianist, Educator and Leader of Joyce DiCamillo Trio, PROJECT MUSIC Founder and Board Chair
“I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.”
–Plato
Do we agree with Plato? Yes! Are we biased? Definitely! As sisters, both our childhoods and our adult lives have been defined by music—by the choice our parents made to give us this opportunity. Having also become educators, we can personally attest to the myriad of life-changing benefits attributed to music education.
THE STATISTICS
In educator-speak, the statistics don’t lie. According to PubMedCentral, music has an extraordinary influence on students’ development: Students involved in music programs are statistically more likely to excel academically, with higher standardized test scores and improved cognitive skills. More than 70% of doctors have received musical training; former presidents were lifelong musicians; astronauts have brought their instruments into space; highly elite engineering schools boast some of the best performing ensembles in the country—irrefutable proof of the correlation.
The study of music, choral or instrumental, instills confidence, self-esteem, and a strong sense of achievement in students. Music education cultivates creativity, encouraging students to think outside the box, work together, and find innovative solutions to problems, often in the moment!
Group music activities teach students that each person bears the responsibility of arriving prepared in order to contribute to the whole, learning to appreciate that solitary practice does reap rewards. Simply put, nurturing all these skills will put you on a path for success in both your personal and professional lives.
A great explanation of the benefits of high-quality music education may be found in the tenets of El Sistema, the Venezuelan program begun by Josef Abreu in the late 1960s and responsible for lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty since then. Its most famous disciple is Gustavo Dudamel, the new dynamic conductor of the New York Philharmonic, who spent many years at the helm of the L.A. Philharmonic, and is the founder of YOLA, the Youth Orchestra of L.A.
“Music has the power to positively impact students’ lives—a transformative force that nurtures young minds, fosters creativity, and builds essential life skills.”
—projectmusic.org
PROJECT MUSIC
With PROJECT MUSIC having launched in Stamford 12 years ago, based on those very tenets of El Sistema, it’s become clear that this is no fad or passing fancy; the proof is in the pudding—right here in Stamford, children’s lives are being transformed daily, which is confirmation of Plato’s strong beliefs.
The immersive study of music via El Sistema fosters:
- Social-Emotional Growth
It enhances self-esteem, confidence, and empathy. - Cognitive and Academic Gains
Studies indicate higher school attendance and improved academic outcomes for participants. - Social Inclusion
Programs often cater to under-resourced communities and special needs, ensuring equal opportunities for artistic development. - Long-Term Impact
It empowers individuals to become proactive members of society, fostering a sense of community and leadership.
Clearly, we must commit to keeping the study of music front and center in our schools. Hmmm….not so fast…why, then, are music programs being cut and slashed in communities nationwide? Cost savings is usually the reason given…but at what cost?
“Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children’s education.”
—Yo-Yo Ma
WHY MUSIC MATTERS
As a society, can we afford to ignore these basic and proven El Sistema principles in the face of declining test scores paired with the social media epidemic? These things threaten to render our students unprepared for life after high school; we’ve seen what can happen when adolescents stare at a screen day and night.
Contrast that with what happens to a child who receives high quality music education. There’s a special feeling a child experiences when they get their first instrument. It becomes a part of them, helping to develop their self-esteem. They take pride in owning and caring for it; it becomes an entirely new way for them to express themselves.
A group lesson and rehearsal setting provide a safe environment for a young musician, without placing them in a spotlight. Students are inspired to practice individually and contribute to the magic which occurs during performance, then hearing and deserving the applause.
As students advance in age and proficiency on their instruments, the music room becomes a sanctuary, offering a refuge from the inevitable challenges of adolescence. For some, music class becomes the favorite part of their day, and a safe, supportive, fun place to be. For many in high school, it becomes the reason they come to school at all. It is where they are needed, accountable and have a purpose. As music educators, we can attest to the fact that young musicians are not competitive; they want the group to succeed, and thus are supportive of each other and bond both in friendship and toward a common goal. Some of these friendships can last a lifetime. Those bonds appear almost immediately, and as a music educator, it is truly a joy to experience.
What is virtually unexplainable, though, is the actual feeling a musician derives from this entire experience; it is quite simply something that remains with them for a lifetime—magical, mystical and encompassing the range of human emotions, from sadness to joy and everything in between!
A powerful moment in each educator’s day occurs in the rehearsal room; from silence to quiet instrument warm-up to cacophony to musical magic at the downbeat. If students had arrived feeling down, anxious, or unfocused, those feelings slowly melt away when they begin to warm up. They forget what came before and prepare for what is to come. When the conductor approaches the podium, the room slowly becomes silent again and they are all now focused and prepared to serve the music as an ensemble. The rigor of rehearsal is inspiring!
That access, opportunity and inspiration is what we are committed to providing for children of every circumstance. Each child spends four days after school each week at PROJECT MUSIC, receiving high-quality music education and it becomes transformative in their lives. Their parents are highly committed to the program and grateful for this opportunity for their children, volunteering hours of their time.
SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
Parents who understand the value of music education make a point to center music in their children’s lives. Our grandmother was an Italian immigrant who scrimped and saved in the 1930s to buy an old (it was old when she bought it) player-piano in order to give our mother the joy of making music as a child.
Hearing us pick out tunes on that same player piano led our parents to buy us a piano, and hire a teacher for us by the time each of us turned four. Since our grandmother’s wise decision, five generations of our family have been blessed to experience this same joy. Without access to that piano, our lives would have taken completely different paths, which is unimaginable to us.
There is a very good reason why music is known as the “soundtrack of our lives;” even those who purport to not pay much attention to music are inadvertently exposed to music specifically designed to evoke emotions. For example, Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio for Strings’ in Platoon, the music of Charles Schulz in Peanuts, the song you dance to at your wedding—all these make indelible imprints on your soul. Music is the memory of a feeling.
It is obvious to music educators that while some do, not everyone we teach will go on to a career in music. A career in music is not the objective. We aim to nurture productive citizens who have patience, get along with others, learn how to problem-solve, understand their part is crucial to the greater whole, and value the commitment to excellence, all while creating beauty in the process. The majority who study music in school will not go on to careers in music. But they will want for their children what music gave to them, and they will nurture the next generation of arts-lovers, keeping our civilization strong.
“Then what are we fighting for?”
—Author Unknown
A particular quote has long been attributed to Winston Churchill during World War II, emphasizing that the arts are essential in national life, and that if the arts are missing in national life: “Then what are we fighting for?” (Politifact) Absolutely debunked, it’s now common knowledge that Winston Churchill is not responsible for that quote. But to whomever did coin that phrase, we say “BRAVO!”
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