Christopher Bergland writing for Psychology Today said that a new, large-based population research study of Canadian students in grades 7-12 finds that music students maintain higher standardized testing scores than those students without music education. Researchers Martin Guhn, Scott Emerson, and Peter Gouzouasis from the University of British Columba published their findings in the Journal of Educational Psychology. In his article about the study, Bergland quoted a statement from Gouzouasis that further explained: students who learn to play a musical instrument in elementary school not only score higher on tests, but were approximately one grade level ahead of their non-music playing peers in the areas of English, Math, and Science. The correlation between music education and improvement in academic achievement was greatest for those students practicing instrumental music (as compared to other forms such as vocal music).
A 2018 study from the Netherlands found that music lessons also improve the cognitive abilities of primary school students. This article highlights findings of the longitudinal study that concluded students who receive music lessons in school had significant cognitive improvements compared to the control group, specifically in the areas of inhibition, planning, and verbal intelligence, important skills underlying academic achievement. University of Amsterdam researchers Artur Jaschke, Henkjan Honing and Eric Scherder published their findings from this two-and-a-half-year study of 147 Dutch children in the journal, Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Here in the United States of America, Tom Jacobs writing for the Pacific Standard highlights a 2019 Study about the benefits of fine arts courses and music lessons in middle school. A research team led by psychologist Adam Winsler from George Mason University followed 30,000 Florida students from preschool to 8th grade. Those students who had taken an art elective, including music lessons, had better grades in elementary school and had stronger social, behavioral, language, motor, and cognitive skills. Through middle school, those students also had higher GPAs, higher standardized Math and Reading test scores, and were less likely to be suspended from school.
The World Economic Forum also highlighted the Canadian study and said this and other studies provide additional evidence to support music education in schools. In particular, teaching students to play musical instruments in school. Schools and school districts need to seriously consider reinstating music programs that have been cut, or adding music programs to new school curriculums that don’t already have it or never had to begin with.
Band for Today is an outsource solution for bringing music education to your school or district. Band For Today provides in-school music lessons for students including Band for grades 4-8 and Piano for K-3. The program includes lessons, recitals/concerts, and instrument rentals if needed. There’s still time to start any time during the school year. The program may be free to your school budget through a fee-based to parents option.
Contact us to find out more about Band For Today. Call 800-883-9883 or read more and fill out our request information form.
