Why music matters in schools

Creative, visual and performing arts are at the heart of any good school — they are its life force.

So why do subjects that nurture and develop these talents often sit at the bottom of a subject hierarchy topped by science, English and maths with languages and humanities sitting somewhere mid-table?

When schools need to tighten their financial belts, subjects like music are often the first to face the axe, or to be severely curtailed. But at what cost? Similarly, the leadership of some schools don’t grasp the power of arts-based subjects in fostering self-disciplined and academically strong students.

To study music or any of the arts subjects, young people need to be committed, self-disciplined, inquiring and hard-working. They need to be organised, to be good listeners and communicators, and to persevere.

Flipping the subject paradigm

Flip the paradigm and elevate the arts to the top of the pyramid and you build a school that creates capable human beings who understand how to navigate the world with a more comprehensive toolkit.

Credible research from around the world underscores the clear links between studying music and learning to play a musical instrument and greater cognitive ability.

An extensive Canadian study from the University of British Columbia analysed the maths, science and English skills of more than 100,000 students and found the more time young people spent studying and playing music, the better they did in their academic exams. On average, children who learned to play a musical instrument were about one academic year ahead of their peers.

All in the brain

At the other end of the age scale, scientists believe that playing a musical instrument in your later years has positive and protective effects on memory, speech and the ability to process information. British researchers at the University of Exeter studied 1,100 people over the age of 40 and concluded that those who played a musical instrument, particularly the piano or keyboard, reduced their risk of cognitive decline or dementia.

Creative tension

“Skills are important but we mustn’t sacrifice children taking time to learn, ask questions and explore. I embrace the power of technology but it’s also important to get away from technology sometimes and to not be focused on an end point. There’s a lot to be said for children simply being able to play music, to sing, to talk about how music makes them feel, and to reflect on why they choose a particular type of music when they’re feeling sad or when they want to be energised.”

It is not only school leadership that may under-estimate the power and potential of music within classrooms. Families may fail to fully recognise the intrinsic value of their child spending time learning to play a musical instrument and how this connects to greater academic achievement. So, they may dissuade a child interested in learning to play the piano, violin or guitar from pursuing that pathway.

Mastering a complex language

Music is a complex language. Written as dots and symbols on a page, it takes time to be able to translate those symbols and to interpret them through the strings of a guitar or the keys on a piano. It takes months and years of perseverance and practice to reach a point where you can play a piece of music that is free-flowing and incorporates the musician’s personality and emotions.

Part of the musical journey requires setting aside time to practice around school and family commitments. It calls for perseverance when the going gets tough and when progress seems to stall. If students play in an orchestra or ensemble, that requires accountability and responsibility to not let the team down.

Learning to navigate the future

“Good musicians need to be good listeners, too. You won’t improve if you don’t listen and reflect and keen an open mind. Playing music also encourages young people to put themselves in positions where they have to overcome stress and anxiety, such as when they are performing in front of an audience,” says Dr Grigsby.