“Poverty is not just the lack of roof or bread, but it is also a spiritual lack - a loneliness and lack of recognition. The vicious cycle of poverty can be broken when a child poor in material possessions acquires spiritual wealth through music.”
-José Antonio Abreu
(Founder of El Sistema in Venezuela)
The beauty of music can have a profound effect upon the young. Music education can help spark a child's imagination or ignite a lifetime of passion. Music should not be a privilege for a lucky few, it should be a part of every child's world of possiblity.
Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and by studying music in schools, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective. Here are 6 ways music helps improve a child’s life.
Studies show consistent music education improves vocabulary and enhanced reading comprehension skills. Evidence suggests the area of the brain controlling both musical ability and language comprehension are more related than previously thought.
Music education involves a high level of memorization. Students must be able to read music by sight, play the proper notes on their instrument or recall lyrics. This process benefits the overall memory center of the brain.
When playing an instrument, a musician must be able to create the correct notes through the proper hand motions, whether it be hitting keys, closing valves or using another apparatus to produce sound.
When children are exposed to proper music education, they learn powerful study habits. Mastering their specific musical craft takes a concerted effort, consistent practice and patience. These disciplined habits translate into other areas of study.
Students work together to create a cohesive, technically correct performance. Together, they form a community of like-minded individuals who can help each other reach goals. Many students find a sense of belonging in music programs.
Those with musical training have been found to have higher levels of grey matter volume in their brains, which are directly tied to auditory processing and comprehension.
Music education stimulates, challenges, and enriches our young people during their formative, school years; its value lasts a lifetime.
"The mission is not only to help children, but often, literally, to rescue them - and in the process, to affect real and lasting changes in the lives of their families and communities. The orchestra and the choir are much more than artistic studies. They are examples and schools of social life. From the minute a child is taught how to play an instrument, he is no longer poor. He becomes a child in progress, who will become a citizen."
-José Antonio Abreu
(Founder of El Sistema in Venezuela)
"We have seen firsthand the capacity of music to enliven a shy child and calm an anxious one, to bring coherence and meaning to the often mysterious chaos of feeling. We have seen music lift people out of depression and even despair and give new spirit and purpose to young lives. Again and again, we have seen students discover in themselves new dimensions of creativity and vitality through playing and loving music."
-José Antonio Abreu
(Founder of El Sistema in Venezuela)
– Victor Hugo
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