“Music has a power of forming the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.”
Aristotle
For most of us, music forms a necessary and essential part of our lives. Music has that special power that can move us and stir our emotions. Music can boost our moods, it can help us focus and can enable us to de-stress. It can also help us cope and escape when life throws us difficult situations that we find hard to deal with. But the benefits of music don’t stop there. Learning to play a musical instrument has just as many benefits as listening to music, and it can also help to enhance your child’s educational and social skills.
Between Brownies, football, Cubs, dance and other after school activities, your child’s schedule is filled with lots of fun activities. If you are undecided about adding music lessons to the list, it is important to take into consideration the many benefits that come with taking up instrumental lessons. Whether your child is learning an instrument for pure enjoyment or working towards grades, they will also reap the benefits in many other areas of their lives.
Learning a musical instrument will not only help with your child’s academic achievements, listening skills, self esteem, focus and concentration; is also proven to have benefits for children with learning disabilities such as autism and dyslexia, as well as emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety. It helps in these areas because playing music combines the physical practice with academic/analytical study and intuitive/creative communication through emotional expression. The benefits of playing music connect with almost every aspect of your child’s life.
Teaches patience, perseverance and discipline
Learning to play a musical instrument can be very challenging – it takes time, effort and dedication. Unless you have a natural ability to play any piece that is set in front of you it takes hard work, perseverance and discipline to practice, and those skills are developed while learning to play a piece correctly.
Improves academic skills and increases the capacity of your memory
Music and maths are highly intertwined. By understanding beat, rhythm and scales, children are learning how to divide, create fractions and recognise patterns.
Both listening to music and playing a musical instrument can stimulate your brain and can also increase your memory.
Improves your coordination
The art of playing a musical instrument requires a lot of hand-eye coordination. It can take time and skill to train your eyes to stay on the music while your hands are playing the instrument. Just like playing sports, children will develop their motor skills when playing music.
Music encourages self expression, relieves stress and boosts self esteem
We all have days when we are so stressed out that the minute we hear soft, soothing music we feel more relaxed. Playing music acts as a form of therapy, which has a calming effect on your mind and body.
One of the greatest things about one to one tuition is that you can really get to know the person that you are teaching and quite often with my students I know what mood they are in by the way they play their instrument! It is a great way to express how you are feeling without having to actually say it.
Helps your performance and reduces stage fright
There are a lot of people who have a mortal fear of speaking in front of an audience and I happen to be one of those people! Put me behind a piano and all fear goes away. Learning a musical instrument can help with the pressure and fear of being in front of other people and it produces a confidence that may otherwise be hard to achieve.
Can bring happiness to your life and those around you
One of my students said to me recently ‘piano lessons make me happy’. Not only can learning to play the piano be fun and exciting but it can also bring so much happiness to those learning a musical instrument and to those who are listening.
Creates a sense of achievement
Learning to play a piece of music or working towards music exams can be very challenging but incredibly rewarding when the goal is achieved. I have had many students who have felt such a huge sense of achievement and are filled with joy when they have finally finished a piece that has proven difficult or passed an exam when they have thought they didn’t do well.
As you can see, learning to play a musical instrument has many positives and the benefits will last you a lifetime. There is no better time than to start today!
