Raising the profile of the value of music education is one of the core aims of Merton Music Foundation. MMF has developed a reputation for providing quality music education through its long-term commitment to students, schools and communities across South West London. Innovative and imaginative projects, events, tours and concerts have all given many thousands of schoolchildren some of their greatest and most memorable musical moments. We feel passionately about the importance of music in a child’s education. Over recent years, studies have shown that music has a profound effect on children’s intellectual and creative development. For those of us who are deeply involved in the teaching of music, it is apparent what an important role the arts, specifically music, play in the development of children.

The following is a summary of some of the reasons why it is important for music to be a fundamental part of every child's life. Just as there can be no music without learning, no education is complete without music.

Personal and Social Development

As a group activity, music making encourages teamwork and cohesiveness. It fosters creativity and individuality adding to the self-worth of participants. Children with little in common can form strong relationships when it comes to playing musical instruments together in an ensemble or singing as part of a choir. Developing social skills does not come naturally to all children and music making can be a rewarding and enjoyable way to develop such skills. Sharing such enjoyment and memorable experiences through music making can provide children with a unique sense of fulfilment, something that is obvious when they perform in bands, orchestras and choirs. On a more personal level, musical activities can also help instil a sense of self-confidence and worth whilst encouraging children to listen closely and be ready to respond through their music.

Language and literacy

Music is itself a non-verbal language of its own which has the power to communicate emotions, sometimes very powerfully. For children to experience this by hearing music and by playing instruments lets them investigate forms of communication, which their limited verbal skills do not allow. This process is a good introduction to the communicative potential of language. Relating sounds to symbols that can be drawn on paper and sequencing them from left to right in response to rhythms they make, is an excellent foundation for developing reading and writing skills.

Mathematics

Music has long been closely related to mathematics. For instance recognising and recreating rhythmic patterns is a skill closely related to mathematical concepts. One of the most publicised links between music and maths is the "Mozart Effect": the claim that exposure to certain types of music, especially exposure to classical music early in a child’s life, can lead to improved performance in test scores, including tests of spatial awareness and abstract reasoning. If this is the case then perhaps we should see more music in the curriculum of primary schools. This is certainly the message that is being taken up very seriously in schools in America with a number of universities undertaking ground-breaking research in this area of education.

Empathy and understanding of the world

Hearing music from other countries must be an excellent place to start in building awareness and respect for cultures other than our own. Music clearly enriches life; it is a way to understand our cultural heritage as well as the cultures of others, past and present. Listening to and playing the music of other cultures, places and times can lead us to finding out more about people of a particular country or period in time bringing a child's understanding of their place in society to life.

Physical Development

Children's physical development can be addressed in several ways by music-related activities. Dancing and moving to music develops a spatial awareness whilst also practising co-ordination and muscle control. Feeling the rhythms of music through the body is also important when instruments are played. Playing instruments and making sounds with the body helps to develop fine motor skills in the hands and fingers whilst also defining relationships between sound and physical movement.

Creative Development

Finally, perhaps the most important area of a child’s development, and one that is too often overlooked, is the development of creativity. The use of imagination and the ability to communicate and express ideas and feelings are well served by musical activities. Listening to music and generating sensitive responses are all good ways for children to recognise and express their emotions. Playing and 'composing' with instruments gives children a command over levels of expression, which they are unlikely to possess verbally. These creative 'outlets' are important for the growth of a child's self-esteem, self-confidence and general emotional well-being, things which can greatly help a child's development in all other areas of the school curriculum.

Useful websites...

The Power of Music

This excellent website has details of the recent comprehensive study of research into the 'other' values of music. Commissioned by the Performing Right Society from Professor Sue Hallam of the Institute of Education, London University, the study covers everything from music in our everyday lives to the neurological aspects of musical processing.  

Young People and Music Participation Project
(The Unit for the Study of Musical Skill and Development, Keele University)

Susan O'Neill's ESRC-funded research into factors influencing young people's participation and achievement in music.  The study focused on the key educational transition that most young people make between leaving primary school and starting at secondary school. Surveys, interviews and case studies were used to examine the views of children, parents and teachers about the issues involved in young people's participation in music and learning to play a musical instrument in particular.

The M.I.N.D. Institute

The Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute. Interesting USA site which contains scientific research on the use of music to access higher brain functions.

Essential Music Advocacy (Right click to download)

Essential Music Advocacy by Tim Lautzenheiser. Succinct and versatile facts supporting music education. Large PDF volume (over 200 pages) containing lots of advocacy materials.

Music Education Online

Advocacy slide show on Music Education from the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association. A recommended website by ISME, The International Society for Music Education.

This page has been produced with support from the London Education Arts Partnership and London Arts