| The idea that studying music improves the social | | | | 1998 found that pattern recognition and mental |
| development of a child is not a new one, but at last | | | | representation scores improved significantly for |
| there is incontrovertible evidence from a study | | | | students given piano instruction over a three-year |
| conducted out of the University of Toronto.The | | | | period. The researchers also found that self-esteem |
| study, published in the August issue of Psychological | | | | and musical skills measures improved for the students |
| Science was led by Dr. E. Glenn Schellenberg, and | | | | given piano instruction.And data from the National |
| examined the effect of extra-curricular activities on | | | | Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 revealed music |
| the intellectual and social development of six-year-old | | | | participants received more academic honors and |
| children. A group of 144 children were recruited | | | | awards than non-music students, and that the |
| through an ad in a local newspaper and assigned | | | | percentage of music participants receiving As, As/Bs, |
| randomly to one of four activities: piano lessons, | | | | and Bs was higher than the percentage of non- |
| voice lessons, drama lessons, or no lessons.Two | | | | participants receiving those grades.In 1994, a report |
| types of music lessons were offered in order to be | | | | entitled "The Case For Music Study In Schools" was |
| able to generalize the results, while the groups | | | | printed in Phi Delta Kappan, the professional print |
| receiving drama lessons or no lessons were | | | | journal for education. It included details of research |
| considered control groups in order to test the effect | | | | conducted by physician and biologist Lewis Thomas, |
| of music lessons over other art lessons requiring | | | | who studied the undergraduate majors of medical |
| similar skill sets and nothing at all. The activities were | | | | school applicants. Thomas found that 66 percent of |
| provided for one year.The participating children were | | | | music majors who applied to medical school were |
| given IQ tests before and after the lessons. The | | | | admitted, the highest percentage of any group.The |
| results of this study revealed that increases in IQ | | | | same report asserted that the very best engineers |
| from pre- to post-test were larger in the music | | | | and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry |
| groups than in the two others. Generally these | | | | were, almost without exception, practicing |
| increases occurred across IQ subtests, index scores, | | | | musicians.The world's top academic countries also |
| and academic achievement.While music teachers | | | | place a high value on music education. In a study of |
| across the country greeted the new research | | | | the ability of fourteen year-old science students in |
| enthusiastically, in fact, many other studies have | | | | seventeen countries, the top three countries were |
| previously shown a correlation between music study | | | | Hungary, the Netherlands, and Japan. All three include |
| and academic achievement.In 1997, well known music | | | | music throughout the curriculum from kindergarten |
| researchers Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw and | | | | through high school.St. Augustine Bronx elementary |
| their team at the University of California (Irvine) | | | | school, about to fail in 1984, implemented an intensive |
| reported that music training is far superior to | | | | music program, and today 90 percent of the school's |
| computer instruction in dramatically enhancing | | | | students are reading at or above grade level. And a |
| children's abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary | | | | ten-year study at UCLA tracked more than 25,000 |
| for learning math and science. A group led by the | | | | students, and showed that music making improves |
| same two scientists had earlier showed that after | | | | test scores. Regardless of socio-economic |
| eight months of piano lessons, preschoolers showed | | | | background, music-making students get higher marks |
| a 46 percent boost in their spatial reasoning IQ.The | | | | in standardized tests than those who had no music |
| March 1999 issue of Neurological Research published a | | | | involvement. The test scores studied were not only |
| report by another group of researchers, also at the | | | | standardized tests, such as the SAT, but also in |
| University of California (Irvine), who found that | | | | reading proficiency exams.Music training helps |
| second-grade students given four months of piano | | | | under-achievers as well, according to research |
| keyboard training, as well as time playing newly | | | | published in Nature magazine in May 1996. In Rhode |
| designed computer software, scored 27% higher on | | | | Island, researchers studied eight public school first |
| proportional math and fractions tests than other | | | | grade classes. Half of the classes became "test arts" |
| children.Students with coursework and experience in | | | | groups, receiving ongoing music and visual arts |
| music performance and music appreciation scored | | | | training. In kindergarten, this group had lagged behind |
| higher on the SAT, according to a Profile of Program | | | | in scholastic performance. After seven months, the |
| Test Takers released by the Princeton, NJ, College | | | | students were given a standardized test. The "test |
| Entrance Examination Board in 2001. This report | | | | arts" group had caught up to their fellow students in |
| stated that students in music performance scored 57 | | | | reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22 |
| points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on | | | | percent. In the second year of the project, the arts |
| the math, and students in music appreciation scored | | | | students widened this margin even further. Students |
| 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on | | | | were also evaluated on attitude and behavior. |
| the math, than did students with no arts | | | | Classroom teachers noted improvement in these |
| participation.Another part of this same study shows | | | | areas also.In 2005, it appears the pace of scientific |
| that longer music study means higher SAT scores. | | | | research into music making has never been greater. |
| For example, students participating in the arts for | | | | The most recent evidence from the University of |
| two years averaged 29 points higher on the verbal | | | | Toronto confirms what many other researchers have |
| portion and 18 points higher on the math portion of | | | | already detected - that music boosts brainpower, |
| the SAT than students with no coursework or | | | | academic achievement,socialization skills, and |
| experience in the arts. Students with four or more | | | | emotional health.It's logical, when you think about it. |
| years in the arts scored 57 points higher and 39 | | | | People who learn to play an instruments are in groups |
| points higher on the verbal and math portions | | | | -- bands, choirs, orchestras, combos, worship teams, |
| respectively than students with no arts | | | | etc. And working and making music with others is |
| coursework.Another study also found support for a | | | | bound to help relateabilty with people and foster |
| relationship between math achievement and | | | | close bonds with fellow musicians.So it appears that |
| participation in instrumental music instruction. The | | | | learning to play music, whether guitar, piano, or some |
| researchers found that students who participated in | | | | other instrument, actually does contribute to your |
| instrumental music instruction in high school took on | | | | ability to "win friends and influence people."Duane |
| the average 2.9 more advanced math courses then | | | | Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and |
| did students who did not participate.In fact, various | | | | products such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, |
| studies over the last 10 years suggest teaching kids | | | | chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson |
| music can heighten their aptitude for math, reading, | | | | instructional courses for adults. He holds an advanced |
| and engineering. (One explanation for improved ability | | | | degree from Southern Oregon University and was |
| in mathematics is that music theory is based on | | | | the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. |
| mathematical truths. Rhythms are divided into | | | | He can be reached at He is the author of the popular |
| fractions - half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes. | | | | free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing |
| Scales have eight tones, and the steps between | | | | Secrets Of Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord |
| them follow an equation.)A McGill University study in | | | | Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. |