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Patrick Love
Professor Ashley Marcum
Eng.112-365
17, October 2014
Music Education
When we think of school, the first things that come to mind are core subjects such as
Math, Science, History, and English. These subjects are meant to inform and condition students
into the standard of what society deems acceptable when they graduate from college and get a
job. What of music though? Is music an important and essential subject to be taught to the youth
of the nation? Music allows us to celebrate and preserve our cultural heritages, and also to
explore the realms of expression, imagination, and creation resulting in new knowledge.
Therefore, every individual should be guaranteed the opportunity to learn music and to share in
musical experiences. (nafme.org). Yes it can and to prove how, we will observe how it effects
the students emotions, their intelligence, and their social skills.
What is music to begin with? The science or art of ordering tones or sounds in
succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity
and continuity. (Merriam-Webster.com). Knowing this, couldnt the same be said about life in
general? From a philosophical standpoint, music is life as life is music because almost every one
listens to music or has had experience with music. For students, school is important to do good in
so they can strive for a better future. With music in the mix, students can achieve beyond their
goals with a stronger passion with having it inside and even outside of academics.
Everyone is different in their thoughts, ideals and emotions. For every individual there is
a genre of music that fits their lifestyle. In their studies found in the article, Emotion regulation
through listening to music in everyday situations, Myriam, Stefan, Changiz, Ulrike, and Nater

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(2012) state that, Participants indicated how likely it would be that they would want to listen to
various pieces of music (which are known to elicit specific emotions) in various emotional
situations. (Pg.1) There are so many students these days that just dont care anymore about
getting a degree or even graduating high school. Music provides an outlet for students that
struggles with their studies and makes them more individual rather than conforming to society.
Kids can be very emotional in the early years and can be discouraged easily. Having a
place in music whether its being in band or chorus can give the student a sense of belonging to a
group which is what most people seek in life. Listening to music that the student likes can bring
stress levels to a manageable level. Music has a way of making the mind forget feelings of
fatigue by helping us de-stress and relax. The right music can reduce stress by reducing cortisol
levels, a chemical in your brain that causes you to feel stress in the first place. (5 Great Reasons
to Use Music with Greater Intention).
In order to achieve higher grades, the student needs to be well conditioned to handle the
monotonous busy work given on a weekly basis. In many ways, music can easily help increase
this conditioning by utilizing different techniques used in music to keep a monotonous beat.
The first is memory. Musicians must memorize not only the melody of a piece but also the
individual notes that make it up. (edutopia.org). Memory is used in all subjects because the
more the student does the problem, the more likely the student will remember how to solve it.
Memorizing music increases and strengthens the skill further providing better results than ones
that dont. Found on an online article titled, How Music Affects Us And Promotes Health,
Musical training has even better effect than just listening to classical music. There is clear
evidence that children who take music lessons develop a better memory compared with children
who have no musical training. (Paragraph 18).

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In a lot of cases, students come up to roadblocks that hold them back from solving the
problem. With music, students are able to think about it more critically and overcome the
problem. According to a report in the journal Neuroscience of Behavior and Physiology, a
person's ability to recognize visual images, including letters and numbers, is faster when either
rock or classical music is playing in the background. (How Music Affects Us And Promotes
Health). Students also begin to lose interest because they feel that half of what they learn isnt
going to benefit them in the future. Music, especially upbeat tunes, can take your mind off what
stresses you, and help you feel more optimistic and positive. (How Music Affects Us And
Promotes Health). Most students that study music tend to have more of a positive outlook on life,
leading to a more social lifestyle amongst teachers and peers alike.
As human beings, we all seek to be part of something bigger than ourselves, no matter
how introverted an individual tends to be. Music also teaches us how to get along with others.
This group dynamic teaches the importance of choice, and many choices require some form of
sacrifice. You must listen. You must have a conversation. The group must work together to
achieve its goals. (edutopia.org). Think of all the work that has gone into each core subject that
is commonly used in the standard curriculum in public education today. This standardize way of
conditioning young individuals along with learning to play music strengthens the students social
skills to work constructively with others by listening to fellow peers and teachers to carry out a
well made project.
Even outside the academic fields, music education can be beneficial in any given time.
Not all benefits derived from a music education are academic. Many studies have found that
involvement in music leads to positive personal, social and motivational effects.
(musicempowersfoundation.com). In todays society, so many students and people are too self-

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centered about their life. Learning how to play an instrument and play with others builds
character, discipline, teamwork skills, and open-mindedness.
Music also breaks down cultural barriers, creating a more welcoming environment
between the student and the people that students will encounter later in life. Knowing this,
students will be more open minded when it comes to different cultures. In todays world, people
are connecting more and with that, the students will be more prepared to make those
connections.
Music education is an important subject that should be taught more in school. It is in
conjunction with the core classes required to graduate from high school and college. Studying
music is a great way of encouraging students to do better in school and to relieve stress in and
out of school. While music can be educational, it is also recreational and a life essential. Having
studied in music, students will be stronger emotionally, intelligently, and socially as they get
ready for the real world. Keep music education in school.

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Works Cited
"Music." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/music>.
"Mission and Goals." National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Web. 20
Oct. 2014. <http://www.nafme.org/about/mission-and-goals/>.
"5 Great Reasons to Use Music with Greater Intention." JB Music. 16 Sept. 2014. Web.
20 Oct. 2014. <http://jbmusictherapy.com/the-five-most-powerful-reasons-why-to-use-musicintentionally/>.
Marsalis, Wynton. "Keeping Time: Music Is a Core Subject." Edutopia. 14 Sept. 2014.
Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.edutopia.org/keeping-time>.
Judson, Ellen. "The Importance of Music." Music Empowers. 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 4 Nov.
2014. <Judson, E. (2014, January 1). The Importance of Music. Retrieved November 4, 2014,
from http://musicempowersfoundation.com/why-music/the-importance-of-music>.
Thoma, M., Ryf, S., Mohiyeddini, C., Ehlert, U., & Nater, U. (2012). Emotion Regulation
Through Listening To Music In Everyday Situations. Cognition & Emotion, 26(3), 550-560.
How Music Affects Us and Promotes Health. (2009, January 1). Retrieved November 24,
2014, from http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml.