The power of music

Music

I am one of those who “get” music – that is I constantly thrill to its sound, its rhythmic impulse, its ability to transform a mood, its capacity for transforming lethargy into excitement and its relaxing, calming qualities. By now you will be suspecting that this could turn into a fairly emotional discourse, but I contend, none the less valid, even though it may be impassioned in tone.

Thanks to music I have made a reasonably good living, yet even more, I consider that my life has been enriched beyond measure because of my involvement as a music teacher and performer, and more recently as a music publisher and volunteer supporting music and the arts in schools in my position as Hon. Secretary of the Schools Music Association of Great Britain.

Unlocking the value

We are all familiar with the expression that “a picture paints a thousand words”, and the same is also true for a musical phrase which, in my opinion, can obviate the need for tens of thousands of words. That snatch of melody heard unexpectedly, can so often transport us back to former times – happy or sad – with a power and vibrancy that other art forms find hard to match. We relive the entire context in which that melody was first memorised. Such is its power.

Music lives in us all, and can either be unlocked through sympathetic teaching and encouragement, allowing a love and greater understanding of the medium, or it can be suppressed by less than constructive criticism. Music is a fundamental human form of expression, a therapy for the soul, and all of our children need and deserve exposure to this life-enhancing force.

The National Curriculum
Having said that, I would be the first to acknowledge that one size does not fit all and this is where the National Curriculum, as it stands at present, allows for diversity, taking into account regional and ethnic demands, yet at the same time requiring an awareness and experience of the whole world of music. Such demands call for deliverers of the highest quality and imagination, and as mentioned in my previous article in this magazine, I do have fears that as a nation, we shall find ourselves with an even greater scarcity of well-trained music teachers for all the reasons discussed there.

So how does music add value to the curriculum as a whole? Organisations benefit from corporate activity; schools need to develop a sense of community and belonging, and music can deliver this. It is one of those subjects that is truly inclusive – all ages and abilities can perform/rehearse together, striving for an end product which is greater than the sum of its parts. This could be said of sport, but would it be safe to allow five year-olds and eighteen year-olds to play football together?

A good education is more than the absorption of facts and the ability to recall them. It should be preparation for life as a whole – both at work and at leisure. Not all young people will go on to make their living from music, but it could well form a significant part of their spare time, either as followers of a particular genre (or genres) of music, or as members of a local orchestra, choir or band.

The benefits
Through the learning of an instrument, motor skills are developed, leading to enhanced physical coordination. Singing, properly taught, brings with it enormous health benefits as an aerobic exercise. Those who have the opportunity to sing or play in a group – be it in class or school choir or orchestra, experience the joy of contributing to something greater than the self. Then when we come to the presentation of an end product, such as a concert, there is the added boost to self-esteem and the sense of having achieved something significant, when the audience shows its appreciation through applause. We all blossom when our efforts are acknowledged and praised, and unlike a spirited music performance, a stunning geography project for example, however good, is seldom met with a standing ovation.

Self-confidence and self-esteem are crucial to learning. In my own case, I passed the 11+ exam and was placed in the ‘A’ stream class at my local high school. In my fourth year (year 10) I was selected to take the part of Eurydice in the school production of Gluck’s opera Orpheus. This involved many after school and lunchtime rehearsals – much to the concern of my parents, who feared that my academic work would suffer. When the end of year exam results were announced I was astonished to find that I had risen in the table from my normal 12th or 13th place in the class, to second. This anecdote illustrates what research now supports – that children who have the opportunity to demonstrate and develop their talents through music, improve academically as well.

Good vibrations
There is a tendency among decision-makers at many levels, to regard music as a frill, a nice extra if there’s enough time and money. I would argue that no school should be without music at any key stage because it is fundamental to forming healthy and balanced individuals and thus a school with a “good vibe”.

Professor Susan Hallam, Institute of Education, has said: “Making music utilises a great many skills and elicits a wide range of responses, more perhaps than any other human activity. Participating in making music requires the development of aural, intellectual, physical, emotional, communication and musical skills in addition to high levels of commitment, motivation and organisation. The immediate time frame within which music is performed also elicits very high levels of concentration.”

Specifically, music aids the development of speech. Singing simple songs teaches children how language is constructed. Younger children seem to learn best when songs are experienced through their bodies in conjunction with movement. Music allied to movement greatly assists the acquisition of language.

In maths, a study of seven year-olds in California showed that learning rhythms had a direct bearing on the understanding of ratios, fractions and proportions. There are many opportunities for learning about the world in general through the lyrics of songs (when fully explained). A wider understanding of history and heritage also derives from this source.

Music for the soul
Many psychologists have observed that music enhances social skills. Youngsters who have the opportunity to take part in music develop higher levels of social cohesion and understanding of themselves and others. The emotional aspect of making music appears to offer the right conditions for developing social skills such as empathy and respect for others. More research from the USA has proved that music helps improve a child’s ability to reason abstractly, by strengthening neural firing patterns of the brain that are relevant to both musical and spatial cognition.

Physiological research carried out by Dr. Lawrence Parsons at the University of Texas - San Antonio, which employed magnetic imaging technology to examine the brains of expert musicians, showed more clearly than ever that significantly more of the brain is used during music making than previously thought. “Music is represented in mechanisms widely distributed throughout the brain rather than localised in a single region as are other kinds of information, such as visual or movement information.”

It has long been accepted that brain function is enhanced in direct proportion to the number of connections we are able to establish within it. Additionally, most music teachers will tell you that music encourages self-expression and self confidence.

As a non-verbal language, music can convey a complexity of emotions, and offers a means of expression to a shy or diffident child who finds it hard to communicate through speech. Discrimination between timbres and the ability to recognise the quality of those sounds also develops, and this results in enhanced listening skills – essential for all subjects across the curriculum. In other findings from research in Wisconsin, those teenagers actively involved in music making whilst at school, when compared with those who were not participants, indulged in less alcohol, smoking and illegal drug use and remained low users of all these substances into their adult lives.

Engaged citizens
The Salzburg Global Seminar on The Transformative Power of Music (2010) believes that music is a proven gateway to engaged citizenship, personal development and wellbeing; that inspiration and rewards unleashed by music are universal benefits that must be available to all as a human right.

All children from the earliest age should have the opportunity to unlock musical creativity, fulfill musical potential, develop musical expertise, shine for their musical achievements, encounter great music from all cultures, and share their new-found skills of creativity, teamwork, empathy, and discipline. Providing these opportunities should be the responsibility of society supported by the education system, arts organisations, media and funding bodies working together.

So to sum up: music contributes to the quality of life in the school community, as well as promoting use of higher-order thinking skills. It is a way to understand our cultural heritage as well as other past and present cultures, and contributes to sensitivity (emotional intelligence). Music education promotes motor development and encourages teamwork and cohesiveness. It fosters creativity and individuality, alongside discipline and commitment, and is a therapeutic outlet for the human spirit. What head teacher, what governing body would wish to deprive their school of these wide-ranging benefits?

Without music it would be a dull world, lacking in energy and excitement. School life would be in grayscale rather than glorious colour and without music in our schools, those without resources or parental support and encouragement for music would be at risk of enduring life with leaden souls.

For more information
secretary@schoolsmusic.org.uk
www.schoolsmusic.org.uk